9 Dec 2009

Greens blame Maori Party for rise in court fees

3:34 pm on 9 December 2009

The Green Party is blaming the Maori Party for letting through a major increase in Environment Court fees.

The Greens, a coalition of environment and conservation organisations, and the Royal New Zealand Forest & Bird Protection Society challenged the increase as illegal.

Waatea News reports the Maori Party voted with the Government on the Regulations Review Committee allowing the rule change to go through.

Green Party co-leader Metiria Turei says the jump in the filing fee from $55 to $500 is a disaster for iwi, hapu and whanau which want to object to damage to their rohe.