The High Court's Justice Ronald Young put the ball in Cabinet's court this morning over the Maori Council's bid to halt the Mighty River Power sale.

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.

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.

The Maori King and the Prime Minister drew the battle lines, with the former saying "Maori'' and the latter saying "No One''. Today, two legal academics explore the deep currents that lie beneath each claim.

Tariana Turia says the water debate has provided people with is a perfect opportunity to explain to each other why we feel the way we do about water.

Meetings between two heavyweight Tainui leaders are under way to iron out internal tribal confusion around water ownership issues before iwi negotiate with the Crown.

The push for Maori unity of water rights negotiations looked in danger of unravelling yesterday after one iwi asserted its right to negotiate as it saw fit with the Government.

More empty chairs than people filled the Government's first "shares plus" consultation hui in Hamilton last night.

Today the Government meets with Tainui to start negotiations over the partial privatisation of Mighty River. Iwi interests can still be served without the unfair 'shares plus' scheme.

The water rights issue heats up as Tuku Morgan replies to the PM's dismissal of Maori ownership, by calling him 'culturally ignorant'.

How the PM might respond to the Maori King's water-rights claim.

Prime Minister John Key says King Tuheitia's claim that Maori have always owned New Zealand's water is "just plain wrong".

Maori King Tuheitia challenged the PM's dictum that no one owns the water by ending his hui last night with the declaration, "We have always owned the water!"

Peter Lyons details his list of some of the most fascinating and unique features of the political and economic environment.