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Wai iwi leaders heading to court
A leading member of the Iwi Chairs Forum says court action is inevitable on fresh water. The forum is still considering what role it will pay in the new forum put forward by the Government as a way to discuss Māori interests in fresh water, Te Kāhui Wai Māori.
Te Aitanga a Māhaki negotiator Willie Te Aho says Environment Minister David Parker’s presentation to the forum last Friday shows he is sincere about working with Māori on issues like water quality and allocation.
But the discussion still falls short of what the previous Government promised the Supreme Court in 2012 when Māori attempted to block the sale of shares in the crown’s electricity generating companies.
"Six years later those undertakings haven't been fulfilled. In fact what I take from Minister Parker's presentation, they don't have a mandate to address Māori rights and interests in fresh water, or the allocation of fresh water to Māori and accordingly we have to return to the Supreme Court to get a declaration as to what those undertakings entail," Mr Te Aho says.
He expects the Iwi Chairs to file by October.
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