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The government has developed a Sustainable Water Programme of Action which talks about sustainable water management and quality, things everyone could support. But what it does not talk about are the wider issues - whose water is it, who will benefit and who will lose if water supplies are managed by "market mechanisms"?
The programme of action talks about water as if the Crown owns it, but do they? Every iwi and hapu has a river or lake - but will their rights be recognised, or is this going to be another confiscation like the foreshore and seabed? And just like the foreshore and seabed, there are global commercial interests at play with multinational companies looking for governments willing to sell them water 'rights'. But who will benefit if they control water and sell it for profit - communities or corporations?
 Resources
Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on the
scope and content of the relevant human rights obligations related to
equitable access to safe drinking water and sanitation under international
human rights instruments, 16 August 2007
Draft Agreement in Principle between the Crown and Waikato-Tainui for the settlement of the historical claims of Waikato-Tainui in relation to the Waikato River, 26 May 2007
Submission to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights on Water Issues in Aotearoa New Zealand, Aotearoa Indigenous Rights Trust, 7 April 2007
Water, water, water, Aotearoa Educators leaflet, September 2006
Fresh water: issues for Maori, Dr Maria Bargh, September 2006
On the Crest of a Wave: Indigenous Title and Claims to the Water Resource, Mark Schroder, January 2004
General Comment 15: The right to water (Articles 11 and 12, International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights), Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, January 2003
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Public meetings
- Sunday, 22 July 2007 - Public forum 'Ownership and control of water: looking at local and global, health and ethical issues'. How should water be managed? should water be a tradeable commodity? is access to water a human right? what about indigenous rights? A panel of notable speakers will discuss these issues, including Dr Maria Bargh (Te Arawa and Ngati Awa, Lecturer in Maori Studies at Victoria University; Dr Nikki Turner, GP and Senior Lecturer in Population Health at the University of Auckland; Alison Greenaway from Christian World Service, and Penny Bright from the Water Pressure Group; the forum will be chaired by John Minto. From 3pm to 5pm, at the St Columba Centre, 40 Vermont Street, Ponsonby, Auckland [St Columba Centre is close to Ponsonby Road, with a large car park at rear of building]; afternoon tea will be provided, a gold coin koha would be appreciated. Organised by the Auckland Human Rights Network, for more information contact email, the work of the Human Rights Network is supported by the Human Rights Commission.
- Wednesday, 4 October 2006 - What's going on with water? A public meeting with Moana Jackson. Nau mai, haere mai, 6.30pm on Wednesday, 4 October, Mezzanine floor meeting room, Wellington Central Library, Victoria Street, Wellington. For more information contact Takutai Moana Poneke Collective; there is a poster advertising this meeting available here.
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Media reports
- Key to look at who owns water, Juliet Rowan, 15 December 2008
- $11.1m higher water bill projected for Auckland hospitals, Radio NZ, 3 August 2007
- Crown actions threaten relations to awa tupuna, Radio Waatea, 20 July 2007
- Warning after sewage spills into Whangamata water, Newstalk ZB, 17 July 2007
- Solution lies in saving water, Nick Collins, 11 July 2007
- Auckland given stick over water, Bernard Orsman, 28 June 2007
- New figures double city water price rise, Bernard Orsman, 26 June 2007
- Tanks to cheap water, Jared Savage, 25 June 2007
- It's money down the drain, Geoff Cumming, 9 June 2007
- You ask the questions: Penny Bright on water, 3 June 2007
- Manukau votes to boost water bills by 7pc average, Maggie McNaughton, 1 June 2007
- Beach, water clean-up back six years: What would you choose - a dividend or environmental work? Bernard Orsman, 30 May 2007
- Water bills to soar by 140pc in 10 years, Bernard Orsman, 28 May 2007
- River deal running smoothly, NZPA, 27 May 2007
- Water hikes: MPs demand answers, Bernard Orsman, 25 May 2007
- Metrowater blames rise on council, Bernard Orsman, 14 May 2007
- Warning of challenge on freshwater rights, Vernon Small, 24 March 2007
- Sewerage to go in Whanganui river, TV1, 23 March 2007
- Water ownership grab alleged, Radio Waatea, 23 March 2007
- Water debate stirs up political waves, Vernon Small, 23 March 2007
- Government arrogant to assume it controls water - Maori Party, Radio NZ, 23 March 2007
- Maori Party questions Government ownership of fresh water, NZPA, 23 March 2007
- Row brews over who owns NZ's water, Vernon Small, 23 March 2007
- Tribes demand control of water, Jon Stokes, 21 October 2006
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