New Zealand Māori Council

The New Zealand Māori Council is a body for the representation of and consultation with the Māori people of New Zealand.

The New Zealand Maori Council also, Te Kaunihera Maori o Aoteaora, was created by the Maori Welfare Act 1962 (renamed the Maori Community Development Act 1962 by the Maori Purposes Act 1979) The Council has a proud 50-year record advocating for Maori interests. The Council has continuously exerted pressure on governments to protect Treaty of Waitangi rights with policies that further partnership, protection, consultation and compensation for Maori. This has achieved significant results for Maori in terms of land, forestry, fisheries, language and radio frequency spectrum. The unique feature of the NZ Maori Council is its statutory mandate to work for and on behalf of the greater Maori community.

It is formed from an executive and representatives from 16 District Māori Councils. Currently the executive committee is chaired by Sir Taihaikurei Edward Durie. The Council has advocated for Maori interests for over 50 years including involvement in a number of Treaty of Waitangi disputes, representing Māori who wish to be dealt with altogether, rather than iwi by iwi; it frequently acts as the legal entity representing disparate groups of iwi and hapū.

The Council's opposition to the State Owned Enterprises Act 1986 helped create Section 9 which said 'Nothing in this Act shall permit the Crown to act in a manner that is inconsistent with the the principles of the Treaty'. It also resulted int he first written version of the Treaty principles that spell out the doctrine of partnership, protection, consultation and compensation for Maori. The Council was the plaintiff in the historic New Zealand Maori Council v Attorney-General case in 1987 that successfully blocked the Labour Government from alienating land and resources that would be subject to Waitangi Tribunal in transfers to state-owned enterprises.

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