Simon Bridges MP, how can you say National Party are not handing over our water to Maori? Does your leader not notify the cabinet of these decisions?

The National Party has been given an ultimatum by Maori to relinquish at least some if not all ownership of our fresh water to Maori, and demanding an answer by next Waitangi Day. Co-governance or some of the payments received from metered water, it always gets back to money.

To side step the issue, government has handed the whole matter of fresh water to the Regional Councils to manage and redraft major changes to how our fresh water is distributed, and how much ownership Maori have.

BOPRC have a huge discussion document on their website where we had been asked for comment and Maori have their separate site too, but as usual no one knows about it.

This is not democratic, in fact, it is apartheid giving Maori special privileges once again. It's insulting to the majority of NZ. We all happen to have a culture (not just Maori) and spiritual affiliation with the land and water, particularly those of us who work the land.
All the people of NZ should own the water and be allowed a say in decisions made.

C Humphreys, Katikati.