PRESS RELEASE

MANA Supports Water Claim

Monday 9th July

MANA Leader Hone Harawira congratulates Sir Graham Latimer and the New Zealand Maori Council on the first day of their case before the Waitangi Tribunal at Waiwhetu Marae in Wellington.

"Councils bid to stop the sale of New Zealand"s four electricity companies and to settle the issue of the Maori interest in water is worthy of support from all New Zealanders" said Harawira.

"Government has consistently refused to deal with the Maori interest in water, instead running the line that "nobody" owns the water, while maintaining all rights of management and jurisdiction over it" said Harawira "but if that was the case, then what gives them the right to sell shares in power companies that use that water""

"Maoridom will be pleased to know that newly appointed Council co-chairman Sir Taihakurei Eddie Durie is spearheading the claim. Taihakurei Durie is one of this country's pre-eminent jurists, and has a greater understanding of the Treaty law than anyone else alive".

"I suspect that there will be many Pakeha supporting this claim as well" said Harawira "as more and more of them come to realise that The Treaty is the only chance of keeping our power companies in the people"s hands".

"I wasn"t surprised to hear that the Maori Party chose not to attend the application for an urgent hearing though. They have a pact with those iwi leaders who sided with the government in opposing the Council".

"I intend attending the hearings on behalf of MANA and on behalf of all Maori people in the country opposed to asset sales, and I ask all New Zealanders to give their blessings and support to the Council at this time".

ENDS

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