Wednesday, January 30, 2013

New Zealand:

Maori Council's Last Ditch Effort for Geothermal Resource Ownership Rights (3News NZ)

Hone Harawira and Mana Party supporters outside
the Supreme Court (Photo: Lloyd Burr / 3 News)
The Maori Council’s last ditch bid for freshwater and geothermal resource ownership rights is underway at the New Zealand Supreme Court today.

Five judges are presiding over the case and will determine if the High Court was right to dismiss the Council’s request for a judicial review into the Government’s partial asset sales plan.

The Maori Council, joined by the Waikato River and Dam Claim Trust, argue the Government was unlawful in its process to sell 49 percent of Mighty River Power because water rights were not resolved.

Both the Council and Trust claim Maori own the fresh water and geothermal resources used by Mighty River Power to generate electricity.

They want their ownership recognized when the company is no longer wholly owned by the state, but how this is achieved is undecided.

Read More....