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Maori Council tries to reassure on water

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Maori Council tries to reassure on water

3News NZ

The tribunal has asked the Government to put asset sales on hold and it is trying to meet an August 24 deadline for a report on Maori water rights (file)

The tribunal has asked the Government to put asset sales on hold and it is trying to meet an August 24 deadline for a report on Maori water rights (file)

The Maori Council is not trying to claim the ownership of all water, council co-chair Sir Eddie Durie said.

A claim by the council to the Waitangi Tribunal has created doubt about the Government's plan to sell stakes in state-owned energy companies which use water and geothermal resources to generate electricity.

The tribunal has asked the Government to put asset sales on hold and it is trying to meet an August 24 deadline for a report on Maori water rights. The Government is not bound by tribunal decisions.

Sir Eddie told media today that the council's tribunal case was not a claim to the ownership of all water.

"This is a claim to proprietary interests in some very specific blocks and it's important to understand that difference."

He gave an example of a spring that was set aside as a water resource for Maori which now supplied about 40 percent of water to Whangarei and supplied companies that made a profit.

In English law is it not possible to own water but people and businesses have rights to use it.

Sir Eddie, who is a retired High Court judge, said the council was not claiming shares in the state-owned companies being partially privatised but some iwi may wish to do so.

He said the ultimate goal was to get recognition for the rights of Maori.

A royalty scheme could apply when businesses utilised a water resource that was under the mana of a particular hapu or iwi.

In an English context this would be like a right to water.

NZN

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Comments

28/08/2012 8:19:52 p.m.

Gosh wrote:

Lol u mad bro? Congrats you’ve just proven your inability to deliberate even the most basic points on this forum and why you and your type can’t be taken seriously.

27/08/2012 9:42:26 p.m.

Adrian wrote:

Yet another weak whimper from Gosh the coward.

27/08/2012 8:31:44 p.m.

Gosh wrote:

Maori cannot even help the chronic tide of abuse against minors with-in their own community, so saying they what to look after everyone’s interests is a complete joke. A lie obvious to the entire nation.

26/08/2012 11:01:20 a.m.

Moera wrote:

@ Fay or should I say Debbie?...Where have I 'read' that comment before? <(sarcasm)> You want to be taken seriously?...at least use your 'real' name. @ GOSH the reason why you cannot interpret clearly Adrians comments is because you cannot offer an arguement that isnt any less befuddled and confused. If anything, your lack of providing any validation at all to disprove Adrians comments shows that your use of sentences and paragraphs is more or less non existent. OMG...o-O Adrian, I totally understand you ideologies of Maori and you're right about the Crown. Red-necked views, (including some Maori) misunderstand the concept of 'whanau' (family). When Maori fight for 'rights' given them by Pakeha under the Waitangi Tribunal, they fight for Everyones 'rights' not just their own. If Nzders don't actively educate themselves about the situation facing them, then it's left to those who will fight. This isn't a 'money grab' by Maori as some have stated, but an avenue towards stalling the govt and extracting a transparent negotiation from the govt. As I have stated previously, NZders need to be aware of exactly how vulnerable they will become if state owned assets are sold. National has yet to show their real position pertaining to S.O.A and exactly how this govt will encourage NZ into positive recovery.

24/08/2012 6:50:53 p.m.

Fay wrote:

This is so disgusting that maori are making claims for near everything. Where is 95% of the country who are against this? Why isn't all non maori marching in the streets against this massive money grab? This is pure and simple greed by very elite maori who want money for nothing from the hard pressed tax payers of NZ. The rest of NZ is so docile and won't see the elephant in the room until it's too late. Wake up and be counted for God's sake and say what you feel instead of acting like sheep. This is exactly what these maori council want and pretend that NZ is behind them when they're absolutely not. Come on media give the rest of the country a voice without the racist and redneck connotations.

23/08/2012 11:55:19 a.m.

Gosh wrote:

You may want to try breaking down and grouping your associated points, while using sentences and paragraphs. Otherwise your correspondence comes across as befuddled and confused. Also any insulting language you chose to employ, only servers to belittle any actual point that you may have and displays a lack of validity to your argument.

22/08/2012 9:08:49 p.m.

Adrian wrote:

How do you measure (Maori) wairua Gosh? Knowing of course languages are translatable however ideologies aren't.  Is Maori not a nation unto themselves? When clearly as recent as world war 2, the Maori nation was acknowledge as an imminent force by both the allies and enemy forces. Do note that the status hasn't formally changed since. No Crown official reinterpretation what so ever. So the issue about rights is very clear ... It's no different from any other sovereign nation interacting with another! Hence why the government (Crown) acknowledges treaty grievances  and treat Maori differently from the rest of the Nz population. If you were clever I wouldn't have to explain this obvious fact to you and now hope you feel enlightened. Are Iwi not permitted to engage in economic opportunities like non-Maori? Under who's law; Gosh's law? Please! Delusion overwhelmed you! Now how did racism control your train of thought oh I know why, guilt! Get a grip and don't allow your medication to lapse. Delusion resides in those that choose to remain ignorant and value denial above anything else; even if it's the truth.

22/08/2012 1:16:20 a.m.

Gosh wrote:

Although your projection that somehow a singular part race of people in nz have rights over and above others is preposterous and so obviously delusional to the enlightened. This is not what iwi leaders want. They want monetary profits gained from the mechanisms that the water flows through. Mechanisms that never existed with out current government embodiments.
You can continue saying Maori were here first and therefore they have more rights than others, but you will always be dishonest and racist with this statement.

21/08/2012 9:53:55 p.m.

Adrian wrote:

Gosh get a grip and Andrew your authority means absolutely nothing because your Iwi leader has the mandate not you! Democracy is the way forward not your way, ok! Where do we get these guys?!? So proprietary interest, what is it? And what's the simplest way of explaining it? Long before Pakeha arrived here Iwi and hapuu had customary rights over natural resources like springs, lakes, rivers, forest, sea etc all encompassing within their individual tribal boundaries. Fast forward, todays nz law recognizes customary rights and has for several decades. A lake on Maori land for example can be compared to a water tank collecting water off the roof of your privately owned home. It's unjust for me to claim your tank water to service the good of the wider community at a profit and you not be compensated or rewarded for your loss. In the case of iwi/hapuu, loss translates into abuse of good will to the treaty accord which under all the layers is typical of colonial lead governments and profit being an equally equivalent motivating factor. My question is why should Iwi buy into the company shares model when their storage ponds (lakes) are needed to drive the turbines? Shouldn't it be as simple as a 50/50 partnership arrangement? Iwi could redirect their water elsewhere if the government is not careful. Iwi utilizing overseas investment for its own power station and the government reduced to playing a minor share holders role in the deal; Is this what nz'ers want? Ask yourself who benefits most out of the dividends? Certainly not the average joe blogs. Gosh is right 'the fat cats.' So enough of the Iwi this , Iwi that, Iwi are in an economic position to out strip the government on many levels and gaining strength every day. Caution, keep an eye on the government they will be the first to sell ordinary nz'ers out. As for Iwi they're seasoned campaigners, ignored, tormented, weathered prolong perpetual abuse now a force to be reckoned with. Time to shine!

14/08/2012 10:28:44 p.m.

Gosh wrote:

It won’t make any difference to the average part Maori. Just like ownership of sea lord and city properties don’t benefit any one except the fat cats at the top.