Einleitung

Governance of water based on responsible use – an elegant solution?

“…This, too, is a way of giving effect to Treaty rights and interests and ensuring that Maori and new users who can demonstrate that they are good kaitiaki of the water have fair access to water for sustainable development options that enable and protect Te Mana o te Wai. 91 Proposals being put forward by Maori groups such as the iwi leaders and the New Zealand Maori Council acknowledge that while the co-management regimes established under the freshwater Treaty settlements provide some recognition of Maori rights and interests, they do not go far enough. In light of the Crown's continuing policy that no one owns water and recognising that the dominant legal system in New Zealand prioritises proprietary rights, Maori have proposed path ways forward that avoid the ownership issue.…”