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November 13, 2013
Water rights finding make sale unacceptable
Waatea Team
Posted On November 13, 2013
Labour leader David Cunliffe is calling for a halt to further state asset sales while the implications of the Waitangi Tribunal’s report on Tongariro National Park claims are worked through.
The tribunal found the Tongariro power scheme, which is now owned by Genesis Energy, was set up in a way that involved numerous treaty breaches.
It says nga iwi o te kahui maunga retain residual proprietary rights in the waterways of the inquiry district, and the right to develop them.
Mr Cunliffe says that must cast doubt on the Government’s plan to sell half of Genesis, because the rights in water that Maori held in common with other New Zealanders must be separated out and accounted for.
"How do you put a value on it, how do you work out what the proper share is, how do you get proper treaty partnership input into post-float management of the assets, those are all issues which are much harder in this new world where the assets are largely owned or partly owned by foreign institutions," he says
Finance Minister Bill English says in last year’s Maori Council’s water case, the Supreme Court accepted that the sale of power company shares would not affect the Crown’s ability to settle treaty claims.
Copyright © 2013, UMA Broadcasting Ltd
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