I have been making a submission on the new Bill to replace the previous  Resource Management Act. The new Bill is called the Natural and Built Environment Bill and will soon become law. In order for readers to understand the vocabulary of the Bill, an extensive glossary of terms used (English to English) is appended -see the link below.https://www.legislation.govt.nz/bill/government/2022/0186/latest/LMS783187.html

However, no glossary is provided for readers to understand Maori terms 

Under the NATURAL AND BUILT ENVIRONMENT ACT (The main umbrella act with other acts under this umbrella) 

Clause 6 (3) DECISION-MAKING PRINCIPLES

“All persons exercising powers and performing functions and duties under this Act must recognise and provide for the responsibility and mana of each iwi and hapū to protect and sustain the health and well-being of te taiao in accordance with the kawa, tikanga (including kaitiakitanga), and mātauranga in their area of interest.”

The legislation does not translate these  Maori terms for us nor give us a glossary. This is because Maori is an Official Language of NZ but English is not (unless you and others can convince the Government that English must be accorded the status of an Official Language in this country.) If you think that we should not have to consult Dr Google to understand legislation in this country, then please get your friends to sign this petition. While the above is only a small part of the Bill which is otherwise in English, the principle is still important. 

The NBE Bill has to be read in conjunction with the Spatial Planning Act (under the NBE umbrella)

Under DEFINITIONS in the Spatial Planning Act  we find some limited help in understanding Maori terms

1 )Mana Whakahono ā Rohe means an iwi participation arrangement entered into under subpart 2 of Part 5 of the Resource Management Act 1991 before subpart 6 of Part 10 of the Natural and Built Environment Act 2022 comes into force

2) ngā hapū o Ngāti Porou has the meaning given in section 10 of the Ngā Rohe Moana o Ngā Hapū o Ngāti Porou Act 2019

3) NHNP Act means provisions of the Ngā Rohe Moana o Ngā Hapū o Ngāti Porou Act 2019 that relate to the exercise of a power or the performance of a function or duty under the Resource Management Act 1991

4) other arrangements means Mana Whakahono ā Rohe and joint management agreements

IF YOU WANT THIS PETITION TO SUCCEED THEN PLEASE SIGN AND CHIP IN A FEW DOLLARS TO CHANGE.ORG TO GET GREATER EXPOSURE AND MAKE IT AN ELECTION ISSUE.(We are aware that there has been a change and Chris Hipkins has replaced Jacinda Ardern as Prime Minister of NZ.)

For your interest:

In the NBE Bill, Maori, Iwi and Hapu  appear  656 times in 154 clauses

In the Bill “Citizens” get 0 mentions 

and New Zealanders only get 3 mentions.