15 Sep 2012

Conservative Party against special water ownership rights

8:38 am on 15 September 2012

The Conservative Party says water is an asset that should be held in common ownership and shouldn't be privatised to any interest or group.

On Thursday, a national hui called by King Tuheitia on Turangawaewae Marae in Ngaruawahia agreed to select a panel of Maori to negotiate with the Crown on the issue of proprietary water rights.

The Iwi Chairs Forum endorsed that resolution when it met the following day.

Conservative Party leader Colin Craig says allocating special ownership rights to any person or group is unwise.

Mr Craig says if commercial interests make substantial use of water, and are charged for it, that revenue should belong to all New Zealanders equally.