Behind closed doors

Your readers may not know that in Parliament and behind closed doors meetings are being held between the Iwi Leaders Group and some cabinet ministers that will give control of New Zealand's fresh water to 15 per cent of our population.

That would simply not be acceptable in democracy.

This proposal will make a complete mockery of the democratic principle that we live by. It would eliminate the public's right to consultation and disenfranchise the elected councillors.

L Christie, Otumoetai

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21 comments

Honest John & the Nat's

Posted on 09-04-2016 08:58 | By crazyhorse

This is the way part maori and their "comrades" the Nat's get what "they" want,we don't have public meetings now we have hui, I really don't know how honest Johnny can keep a straight face saying he will make sure know one owns "our" water, to cover himself looks he has flicked the job of dividing up "our" water to local councils, they will cop the flak and he will still be there with that smarmy smile telling you the water is yours, by the way campers, it's not who owns the water that matters really, it's who ""controls"" it, why?, because they say who gets it and how much it's going to cost, why else would iwi want "our" water?, KOHA another trough to feed at, set up behind our backs!.


We must stand strong on this

Posted on 09-04-2016 14:24 | By Cydifor

I have read the reasons Maori say they are deserving of owning the freshwater and none stand up to scrutiny- it is referred to in waiata, so do we. Is used for travel and trade, yep, once again so do we. Is referred to in whakatauki, aka proverbs, so what! Whakapapa has strong links to water - yes, we do too! Their people have exercised mana over the water. I also respect it so also have mana over what comes out of my tap and what flows in the rivers. As for the life force in freshwater, it is not a Maori life-force. The best of all is that taniwha reside in the water which they already acknowledge is a mythical creature. Freshwater belongs to all of us and any government or council who says otherwise is traitorous to the rest of us, all 85% of us.


sneaky business at the beehive

Posted on 09-04-2016 14:41 | By tutae.kuri

The disposition of our fresh water resource is the biggest situation facing us all at the moment. Maori leaders have been working on this for a long time and have a big head start on the rest of the community.They are being aided by govt which is trying to keep the situation under cover for as long as possible until it is too late to do anything about it. I cannot understand why Nats are doing this, it seems to me a case of blind political suicide because the public surely won't put up with a sectional interest controlling the water. Interpretations of ToW have reached the crazy stage where anything spouted by waitangi tribunal is taken as factual when it is patently not so. What has got in to us all? Why are we not seeing many protests and complaints to Parliament ? Time to call for account!!


Honest Nick Smith

Posted on 09-04-2016 15:20 | By crazyhorse

The water debate is heating up, with orchestrated attacks on water bottling companies. Maori leaders want a price on water. With the resource estimated to be worth $35 billion a year, they know that once National give them control of fresh water, they will be able to claim royalty payments for future use and compensation for lost revenue. Maori Council chair "Maanu Paul" said


THE TRUTH AT LAST

Posted on 10-04-2016 07:29 | By crazyhorse

Once tribes have secured a governance role in fresh water, commercial control will undoubtedly follow. It won


Race-based exercise.

Posted on 10-04-2016 07:40 | By crazyhorse

Iwi groups lining up to seize control of New Zealand


totally race based

Posted on 13-04-2016 21:01 | By tutae.kuri

I can't imagine the general population putting up with what is in store for them. P Dey seems very quiet on the issue? The way that Public Meetings on the RMA and water issues have been hushed up and manipulated to the extent that very few have any idea of what is being enacted, is a bloody disgrace. The Nats deserve to be thrown out of govt over it.


Race-based rights

Posted on 16-04-2016 10:20 | By crazyhorse

Maori-only schools, Special Maori content in the education curriculum, Maori-only education scholarships, Maori-only housing projects, Maori-only health initiatives, Maori-only welfare initiatives, Maori-only prisoner programmes, Maori-only positions on government agencies, Maori-only consultation rights under the Resource Management Act, Maori-only co-management of parks, rivers, lakes, and the coastline, Maori-only ownership rights to the foreshore and seabed, A special Maori Authority tax rate of 17.5 percent, A special Maori-only exemption to allow blood relatives to qualify for charitable status, Maori language funding, Maori radio and TV, Maori-only seats on local councils, Maori-only appointments onto local government committees, Maori-only local government Statutory Boards, Maori-only local government advisory committees, Maori seats in Parliament, The list of statutory Maori privilege is increasing all the time, as the government


Iwi Leaders demand!

Posted on 16-04-2016 15:06 | By crazyhorse

The Iwi Leaders Groups demands are: 1. Transfer of title to all Crown owned river and lake beds and title to the water column above to regional tribal groups. 2. Title in freshwater consistent with Waitangi Tribunal rulings. 3. Guaranteed allocation of fresh water for all marae and marae housing. 4. Free water infrastructure for for maraes and marae housing. 5. Tribal participation at all levels of fresh water decisionmaking that may include tribal representation on councils, joint management agreements, and comanagement of waterways. 6. A $1 billion of ""public"" money to build the capacity of tribes to implement fresh water management and control. 7. Tribal involvement in resource consents, allocation of tradeable water rights. Fresh, clean water is of paramount importance to everyone and any benefit, physical, cultural or financial, granted to one race over another should never be considered . Anyone heard of apartheid?, separatism?.


MEETS FORTNIGHTLY?

Posted on 16-04-2016 21:35 | By crazyhorse

The reform of freshwater management was first put on the political agenda by the former Labour government in 2006 through their Sustainable Water Programme of Action. It has been continued by National


Look up generic, LOL.

Posted on 16-04-2016 21:43 | By crazyhorse

The Waitangi Tribunal found "surprise,surprise :


fresh water polluted by govt

Posted on 17-04-2016 11:56 | By tutae.kuri

I suspect the govt is starting to feel the heat of public displeasure over the water/maori issue ?? It may be the water will eventually be poisoned with poor agricultural practices and be of no use to anyone. Hopefully maori demands have now gone too far and the real pushback has started? I think there have been a lot of submissions passed on to govt. Submissions on the subject close next friday so send them in guys and help the twits in Wellington make t he right decision.


Posted on 17-04-2016 14:25 | By crazyhorse


Crazy horse

Posted on 17-04-2016 16:33 | By Fonzie

I agree with 99% of what you say You also say the only way to stop this is people power How exactly? None of the political parties are to be trusted on this or similar issues The political system has gone beyond representation of the people and has been hijacked by lobby groups so what is your suggestion for people power ?


PEOPLE POWER!

Posted on 18-04-2016 15:48 | By crazyhorse

The reason that "honest" John, the Nat's and their allies the maori party get away with "giving" away our water, and, a never ending list of other things is, the average K1W1 does not know it's happening. I think one of the most dangerous policies passed so far is the new 10 new coastal rights for tribes!. People power is anything from getting out and discussing this with your friends, writing letters to papers, politicians, councilors,taking the time to comment on SunLive, the New Zealand centre for political research http://www.nzcpr.com/ is one of the best ways to keep abreast of whats happening and they make it easy to have "your" say and a list of MP'S contact details. The best example of people power I have seen in NZ is when the Springbox came and people came out in droves, why, fighting "APARTHEID"".


The law is clear!

Posted on 20-04-2016 08:56 | By crazyhorse

Since 1840 the English common law of water applied here, and by that there was no private (including Maori) ownership of water. Then the 1967 Water and Soil Conservation Act vested the sole right to use natural water in the Crown. The same arrangement is continued by the 1991 Resource Management Act. The "water permits", as they are now called, which power companies hold were issued under these statutes. This means, that the Waitangi Tribunal has never had the jurisdiction to hear this water claim. Its doing so was legally improper. This is because in 2006 the tribunal's jurisdiction was limited; it now has no jurisdiction to hear any "historical" Treaty claim, complaining of events before 2008, the power companies' water permits were granted before 2008?, The tribunal is careless of the law, and Numerous claims also reveal its bias and partiality to claimants.


K1w1's living in

Posted on 20-04-2016 10:00 | By crazyhorse

IF YOU THINK THE CLAIMS ARE NEARLY AT AN END, THINK AGAIN. HUNDREDS OF NEW CLAIMS ARE BEING PLANNED RIGHT NOW. THESE WILL CHALLENGE THE CROWN AND SEEK COMPENSATION FOR THE HANDLING OF THE CURRENT SETTLEMENT PROCESS. TOO MANY PEOPLE HAVE TOO MUCH AT STAKE FOR THE CLAIMS PROCESS TO END, EVER!.


King claims Auckland?

Posted on 21-04-2016 17:15 | By crazyhorse

I see maori king Tuheitia has put together a claim for Auckland as well as water, he says maori own the water outright in NZ, and his iwi own Auckland, well extending north to Mahurangi, down the Firth of Thames and across to the Manukau Harbour and to Piha. Fair chunk anyway, funny, as ridiculous as this sounds, not a word from "honest" John's mob.


SUBMIT

Posted on 06-05-2016 17:13 | By overit

Folks put in a submission to the Govt. about this issue of Iwi ownership of water. Get all your friends to as well!! This is where you send it watersubmissions@mfe.govt.nz


NOT TO BE TRUSTED

Posted on 08-05-2016 10:16 | By ROCCO

Crazyhorse has got it absolutely right.Clearly he's done the research and it is a damning picture.Be afraid be very very afraid.


Taniwha tax?

Posted on 09-05-2016 21:54 | By crazyhorse

A taniwha tax, indigenous to New Zealand, describes payments to tribal groups to make demands disappear. A closer look at the Waikato River Five Year Report 2015 shows that 44 percent of "clean-up funding" went as payments to five tribes that claim deep connection to the river. Page 5 of the report says iwi received $9,860,000 out of a total of $22,435,000 for the first four years. Waikato-Tainui received $7,644,000, Te Arawa $676,000, Raukawa $733,000, Tuwharetoa $290,000, and Maniapoto $517,000. (1) This river of cash to corporate iwi is on top of $212.8-million


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