February 22, 2013
Cold Creek privatisation attack on treaty rights
Te Tai Hauauru MP Tariana Turia says a bill to hand a South Taranaki water scheme to private owners is an attack on treaty rights at the same time the Crown is supposed to be settling claims in the region.
Mrs Turia says Taranaki iwi were not consulted, engaged or involved in the development of the Cold Creek Rural Water Supply Bill.
She says Taranaki iwi, Ngā Ruahinerangi, Ngāti Ruanui and Ngā Rauru informed sponsoring MP Chester Borrows they did not want the bill to go ahead while they were in settlement negotiations, but they were ignored.
She says putting the water scheme in private ownership removes the treaty relationship that should exist between the Crown and the iwi who have responsibilities of kaitiakitanga over natural resources in their rohe.
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