Waitangi Tribunal recommends halt to partial privatisation of state-owned power companies

The Waitangi Tribunal has found that Māori have residual proprietary rights in bodies of water. In an interim report issued yesterday, the Tribunal found that the Crown will be in breach of Treaty principles if it proceeds with the sale of shares in State-owned power generating companies (the Mixed Ownership Model companies) without first creating a mechanism to preserve its ability to recognize Māori rights. The Tribunal recommended that the Crown urgently convene a national hui to determine a way forward and that the sale of shares in the Mixed Ownership Model companies be delayed while the Treaty partners negotiate a solution.

For more information about the Tribunal's interim report, continue reading this post at the Māori Law Review website.

Tribunal aims to produce interim report on fresh water issues by 24 August

On 6 August the Presiding Officer of the Waitangi Tribunal’s National Fresh Water and Geothermal Resource Inquiry, Chief Judge Wilson Isaac, issued memorandum-directions indicating that the Tribunal will endeavour to produce an interim report by 24 August 2012.  The Tribunal had previously indicated that it would report on stage one of the inquiry in September 2012 and had requested that the Crown wait until that time before proceeding with the sale of shares in state-owned power generating companies. The 6 August direction responds to a memorandum submitted on behalf of the Crown on 2 August that requested the Tribunal to complete its stage one report by 24 August.

For more information about the Tribunal's direction, you can read the rest of this post at the Māori Law Review website.