Te Pāti Māori MP introduces bill to protect wāhi tapu from development

A Te Pāti Māori MP has introduced a member's bill aimed at strengthening protections for wāhi tapu across Aotearoa. The bill would require developers to undertake meaningful, documented consultation with mana whenua before any earthworks within a defined buffer of registered wāhi tapu sites. It also proposes penalties for breaches. "For too long, sacred sites have been treated as obstacles instead of taonga," the MP said in the House. The bill is expected to be drawn from the ballot in coming weeks.