Nelson Tenths Bill Passes: 180-Year Land Dispute Settled with Return of 3000 Hectares

WELLINGTON — A historic 180-year land dispute has reached a final resolution as the Te Here ā Nuku (Nelson Tenths) Bill passed its third reading in Parliament on Tuesday, 18 August 2026. The legislation, which received unanimous support, marks the return of 3,068 hectares of land to Māori in Te Tauihu and includes a $420 million compensation payment. The returned areas encompass the Kaiteriteri Recreation Reserve and sections of the Abel Tasman Great Walk. As reported by RNZ, the dispute dates back to the 1830s when Māori were promised one-tenth of the 151,100 acres sold to the New Zealand Company. While a 1845 Crown grant reaffirmed that a tenth of the Nelson settlement should be reserved for pā, wāhi tapu, and cultivations, the promise remained unfulfilled for nearly two centuries. The passage of the bill follows decades of legal efforts led by kaumātua Rore Stafford, who witnessed the final reading from the public gallery alongside descendants and members of the Te Here-ā-Nuku Trust. Attorney-General Chris Bishop told the House that the colonial government had failed to respect the rule of law and property rights. He noted that the Crown is pleased for trustees to now take title and responsibility for their own land, moving past what he described as the "dated paternalism" of the 19th century. Bishop credited the resolution to the persistence and dignity of Mr. Stafford and the customary owners. Te Tai Tonga MP Tākuta Ferris highlighted that the settlement was distinct because it focused on the House upholding its own laws regarding trusts and equity rather than being a Treaty of Waitangi settlement. Following the vote, those in the gallery celebrated the milestone with the waiata Ka Pioioi. The bill now proceeds to the Governor-General for royal assent, formally ending one of the longest-running legal sagas in Aotearoa New Zealand’s history.