Labour pledges to reverse Marine and Coastal Area Act changes to support customary title rights

As the November 7 general election approaches, the Labour Party has signaled a firm commitment to Indigenous property rights by pledging to repeal recent amendments to the Marine and Coastal Area (MACA) Act. The announcement, reported by Waatea News on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, highlights the party's intent to remove new legal hurdles that have complicated the process for Māori to secure customary marine titles. Cushla Tangaere-Manuel, the Labour candidate for the Ikaroa-Rāwhiti electorate, stated that the party intends to abolish the current government's changes to the legislation. She explained that the recent amendments have made it significantly more difficult for Māori groups to exercise and validate their traditional rights over coastal areas. The move to reverse these changes is framed as a restoration of the legal frameworks intended to recognise long-standing customary connections to the takutai moana (coastline). The debate over the MACA Act, often referred to as the 'MACA Bill' in legislative discussions, remains a pivotal issue for coastal iwi and hapū. Tangaere-Manuel's position emphasizes that the current requirements for proving customary title have become overly burdensome, hindering the mana motuhake of communities seeking to protect their ancestral waters. This policy shift comes amidst a broader election cycle where Māori representation and resource management are central themes. With just weeks to go before voters head to the polls, the commitment to upholding the integrity of customary title serves as a key plank in Labour’s platform for Māori voters in the eastern North Island and beyond.