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NZCPR CAMPAIGNS
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Anthony Willy
It seems to be the season for tinkering with our constitutional arrangements. We have the “The report of Makiki Mai Aotearoa The “independent working group on constitutional transformation” and we have Sir Geoffrey Palmer, and his acolyte’s proposed written constitution for New Zealand
Earlier this year cabinet considered a paper on the future allocation of fresh water. One aspect is the recognition of rights and interests in water on a race basis, which will be available only to those persons claiming some Maori blood.
The recent referendum on the whether or not Britain should leave the EU has captured the imagination of those with an interest in public affairs. It is being cited as a part of a pattern of international events, including the rise of Donald Trump in United States, and the failure of the Liberal Coalition to secure an election night majority in Australia.
The Tribunal has embarked on round two of its hearings concerning a variety of claims relating to New Zealand’s fresh water resources. The nature of the claims are discussed in exhausting detail in the Tribunal’s first report made in 2012.
In the run up to the litigation over the part privatisation of Mighty River Power and Genesis Energy, the Waitangi Tribunal held an urgent hearing at the instigation of a number of groups claiming some Maori blood as to whether or not they are entitled to preferential rights to the ownership of fresh water in New Zealand.
An increasingly common theme expressed by New Zealanders returning home from overseas is: this is about as good as it gets compared with most of the places they have visited, and it is not just the scenery they are talking about.
On the 6th August 2015 the “Iwi Chairs Forum” and Local Government New Zealand Inc. signed a Memorandum of understanding dealing with a wide range of matters including the management of fresh water in New Zealand. In the same month the Forum held a Hui which has published a report dealing with its aspirations relating to fresh water.
In recent times there have been a number of high profile criminal case in which the jury findings of guilt beyond reasonable doubt, or acquittal have given rise to public disquiet. The list is disturbingly long and includes: The Crew murders, the killing of Ben Smart and Olivia Hope...
Sir Ronald Davison died recently at his home in Auckland. He passed away as quietly as he had lived. It is well said the “the good men do is oft interred with their bones” and that has a special significance to the passing of Sir Ronald Davison, a man who had occupied the highest Judicial office the law has to offer but lived his life with a minimum of fuss and pomp.
The ownership of water is coming to the top of the political agenda with sinister connotations that it can be bought and sold and allocated on the basis of race. Before public opinion is led down this road to hell it is timely to revert to first principles and to consider just what it is the politicians and their in house advisors are dealing with.
