The Wai Manawa Whenua coalition — representing Maori landowners, hapu and iwi collectives, and national organisations including the Federation of Māori Authorities (FOMA), will appear before the High Court on 3 and 4 November to hold the Crown accountable for long-standing failures to uphold Maori rights and responsibilities over freshwater.

The legal challenge responds to decades of broken promises, including the Crown’s 2012 assurances to the Supreme Court, and the continuation of “first-in, first-served” water allocation practices that ignore Maori authority and kaitiaki responsibilities.

“This case is not about owning all water. It is about recognising Maori authority where we have ancestral ties and responsibilities to keep water healthy, and about ensuring the rights that Maori have are respected and protected in decisions about the use and protection of these waters,” says Kingi Smiler, Chairman of Wai Manawa Whenua.

The coalition is seeking:

• Timely and effective Crown action to halt further decline in the health and wellbeing of water bodies.

• Safeguards to enable and ensure the recognition of Maori tikanga and proprietary rights in water and geothermal resources.

• A fair and durable water allocation system that enables Māori to fulfil their role as kaitiaki.

“Politics and politicians come and go, but our role as kaitiaki is enduring. This case is about protecting the life of our waters for future generations — something that benefits everyone in Aotearoa,” says Wallace Haumaha, Chairman, Te Arawa Lakes Trust,

The hearing will take place at the High Court in Wellington on the 3rd and 4th of November 2025.

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