Special issue of the New Zealand Law Review focuses on Supreme Court's decision in relation to Wakatū.

Last week saw the launch of a special issue of the New Zealand Law Review focussed entirely on the 2017 Supreme Court decision in relation to Wakatū and the Nelson Tenths’ Reserves. The publication follows on from a one-day symposium organised in February 2018 by the Aotearoa New Zealand Centre for Indigenous Peoples and the Law, which also centered on Wakatū and the Supreme Court’s judgement.

The landmark decision set an important precedent in relation to the Crown’s fiduciary obligations to Māori.

The special issue of the Law Review opens with a contribution from Wakatū CEO Kerensa Johnston, where she explores what the Supreme Court’s decision means for Wakatū whānau. The other four articles look at the judgement from comparative, historical, constitutional, international and theoretical perspectives.

“Having an issue of the New Zealand Law Review dedicated to Proprietors of Wakatū v Attorney-General recognises the significance of the judgement’s unique place in New Zealand’s legal system, as well as the potential impact that it will have on the legal rights of indigenous people internationally. The continued focus on the case is also welcome, as we are still waiting for a response from the Crown,” Kerensa Johnston says.

Copies of the New Zealand Law Review special issue Proprietors of Wakatū v Attorney-General can be purchased online from the Legal Research Foundation.