Act fires up over Labour refusal to define mātauranga Māori in RMA replacement legislation

Act environment spokesperson Simon Court. Photo / RNZ

Government MPs have voted down an Act plan to define mātauranga Māori in upcoming legislation, during a fiery exchange at the environment select committee.

MPs from Labour and the Greens voted against a proposal by Act MP Simon Court, which aimed to incorporate a definition of mātauranga Māori in the Natural and Built Environment Bill (NBE bill), one of the key bills designed to replace the Resource Management Act (RMA).

“Mātauranga Māori is a central element of the NBE bill. It is something councils must take account of when considering development proposals but how do you take account of something when you don’t know what it means?” Court, the party’s environment spokesperson, said on Tuesday.

Court argued the absence of a definition within the legislation meant councils would be forced to invest time and resources in engaging consultants to establish a definition.

Definitions councils formulated, Court insisted, would be vulnerable to legal challenges from opposing groups.

‘Never-ending legal challenges’

“This bill is meant to enable ‘a significant improvement in housing supply, affordability, and choice, and timely provision of appropriate infrastructure, including social infrastructure,’” Court said.

“By creating uncertainty within the bill, the Government has created a situation that will leave developers and councils open to never-ending legal challenges, as opponents seek to exploit this uncertainty.”

Part of the Labour-led Government’s efforts to give effect to the principles of Te Tiriti, ministers have previously rejected rigid definitions for Te Ao Māori concepts within legislation because doing so fails to encompass iwi, hapū and rohe variations.

Legal scholars argue rigid definitions fail to acknowledge flexibility of a Te Ao Māori worldview, and the fact elements of mātauranga evolve over time and are usually handed down via word of mouth, rather than through the written word.

Te Ao Māori News has approached Labour and the Greens for comment.