Amendments to the Local Government Act 1972 have been approved by Cabinet to allow traditional landowners to be included as reserved non-voting members in municipal councils.
This means customary landowners will now have a formal place at the table during council discussions on issues such as land use, infrastructure development, and public services that affect their land and communities.
The Government says that while the reserved members will not have voting rights, they will be able to take part in discussions and share the views of landowning communities.
They say that this aims to strengthen consultation, encourage more inclusive decision-making, and improve coordination between municipal councils and traditional landowners.
The Government stresses that regulations will also be developed to guide how the changes will work, including who can be appointed, how consultations will take place, and how many reserved seats each municipality will have.
