Groups that must be invited
Under the legislation, invitations to comment must be sent to certain Māori groups including:
iwi authorities
Treaty settlement entities
applicants under the Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Act 2011
parties to Mana Whakahono ā Rohe or joint management agreements.
For referral applications, invitations are issued by the Minister. For substantive applications, they are issued by the panel.
In each case, invitations must be sent to the groups listed in the Fast-track Approvals Act 2024 (see sections 18(2) and 53(2)).
Why some groups may not receive an invitation
Some Māori groups with a strong connection to a project area, such as hapū, may not fall within any of the groups named in the legislation. When this happens, they may not receive an invitation to comment.
The following examples show groups that may be invited to comment and other related groups that may not.
Treaty settlement entities
Many Treaty settlements establish a post settlement governance entity (PSGE) to receive and manage settlement assets.
Even if a PSGE intends to transfer some redress to hapū in the future, the PSGE is still the group named in legislation. Unless the Treaty settlement Act says otherwise, the PSGE is the group that will be invited to comment.
Iwi authorities
The Fast‑track law uses the Resource Management Act definition of an iwi authority:
“the authority which represents an iwi and which is recognised by that iwi as having authority to do so.”
This definition does not include hapū authorities, even where councils regularly engage with hapū on resource management matters.
How hapū views can still be included
The legislation sets out who must be invited to comment, but it does not prevent:
an iwi authority or Treaty settlement entity asking hapū for their views
hapū providing comments through those entities
the applicant or government agencies (including Te Puni Kōkiri) identifying “other Māori groups with relevant interests” (who may be invited to comment under the Fast-track law)
the Minister (for referral applications) or the panel (for substantive applications) inviting comments from any other person they consider appropriate, which may include hapū.