Abstract
This thesis assesses the historical and current legislative provision for including ngā iwi Māori in the management of national parks. The method of assessment is one of comparison between the legislative provisions and the guarantees promised to ngā iwi Māori in te Tiriti o Waitangi.
Part One, Chapter One, establishes the relevance of te Tiriti o Waitangi to the management of national parks. This chapter is designed to act as the benchmark for the assessment of national park legislation.
Part Two outlines the early national park legislation. Chapter Two begins by focusing on the emergence of the national park estate in the late nineteenth, and early twentieth, centuries. Chapter Three focuses on the first consolidated national park statute, the National Parks Act 1952.
Part Three assesses the present statutory provision for including ngā iwi Māori in national park management. Chapter Four focuses on the original provisions of the National Parks Act 1980. Chapters Five, Six and Seven focus respectively on the major statutory amendments since made to the National Parks Act 1980: the Conservation Act 1987, the Conservation Law Reform Act 1990, and the Ngai Tahu Claims Settlement Act 1998. Chapter Eight turns to assess national park management documents.
Part Four, Chapter Nine, concludes by exploring how legislation could be used in the future to provide for the Tiriti right of ngā iwi Māori to be included in the management of national parks.