June 24, 2020
Waikato council upset at Auckland water grab
Waikato Regional Council says it doesn’t support Auckland Council jumping the queue to get more water from Waikato River catchments.
Chair Russ Rimmington says that Auckland did not tell his council in advance that it wanted its 2013 consent application added to the COVID-19 Recovery (Fast-track Consenting) Bill.
He says Auckland wants 80 per cent of what’s currently left to be allocated.
The request is also likely to override Te Ture Whaimana o Te Awa o Waikato (Vision & Strategy for the Waikato River) which sets out the treaty settlement agreement between Waikato River iwi and the crown.
Waikato Tainui is set to appear before Auckland Council this morning to discuss the region’s water shortage.
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