The Maori Council has told the urgent Waitangi Tribunal hearing into water rights that a long-held belief by hapu and iwi of taniwha as guardian spirits of the waterways is strong evidence of Maori belief that they 'owned' the water.

The Maori Council's Waitangi Tribunal water claim has served notice that the "taniwha" of Maori customary ownership has been awakened by the Government's partial asset sales plan.

36 Auckland Council delegates will be at a Local Govt conference in Queenstown, costing ratepayers more than $93k.