Council approved to appeal water ruling
The New Zealand Maori Council has been given leave to appeal to the Supreme Court over water rights.
The New Zealand Maori Council has been given leave to appeal to the Supreme Court over water rights.
The Maori Council has lost its initial legal bid to delay the partial privatisation of Mighty River Power until Maori water rights are dealt with but is already working on an appeal.
The Maori Council's challenge to the Government's partial asset sales plan is likely to bypass the Court of Appeal and go directly to the Supreme Court early next year in order to meet the looming deadline for the sale of Mighty River Power.
The Maori Council's High Court bid to halt the sale of Mighty River Power ended in Wellington today with a decision likely before Christmas.
The Maori Council's legal bid to block the Government's asset sales programme is based on a "misconception" about the Cabinet's role in advancing the plan, Crown lawyers argued in court yesterday.
About 200 people have attended a political street party to in Auckland's Karangahape Road today to protest asset sales.
Former Meridian Energy chief executive Tim Lusk was paid $1.37 million, including more than $800,000 in bonuses, during his last six months with the SOE.
History has once again proven tough to dislodge when it comes to the perception of the country's waterways, writes Paul Moon.
The Maori fight against the partial sale of Mighty River Power goes to court on Tuesday after papers to block the sale were filed in the High Court at Wellington.
The Maori Council does not speak for Maori affected by the partial sale of Mighty River Power, according to Finance Minister Bill English.
Finance Minister Bill English welcomes opportunity to defend sale of state-owned enterprise in court.
The Government has confirmed it will not proceed with the Waitangi Tribunal's "shares plus'' concept when it partially privatises Mighty River Power.
Mighty River has lost one of two Maori directors in what appears to be fall-out from opposition to the government's plans to partially privatise SOEs.
The Government's water rights consultation hui is not robust or long enough, according to Ngati Maniapoto leaders.