A lingering dispute over New Zealand's founding document could halt the government's plans to partially sell four energy companies.
New Zealand's indigenous Maori are claiming ownership of geothermal and water resources used by the energy companies under the 177-year old Treaty of Waitangi document, which promised Maori undisturbed possession of their properties including lands, forests and fisheries unless the tribes on sold these to the British Crown.
The claim is currently being assessed by the Waitangi Tribunal, which although it cannot give binding ruling, it’s decision would support any application for an injunction against the sale at the New Zealand High Court.
Richard Orzecki, New Zealand Maori Council deputy chair, said in his submission at the State Owned Enterprise consultation meeting that ownership and management of the resources needed to be sorted before the sale.
But the New Zealand government, which is relying on its plan to sell down its 100 per cent stake to 51 per cent in four energy companies, Meridian Energy, Genesis Energy, Solid Energy New Zealand and Mighty River Power, to raise $NZ6 billion ($4.5 billion) to get the New Zealand government accounts back to surplus, is not perturbed by the case.