Evidence was given on day four of the Tribunal hearings today
by an economist who says the government would be remiss
not to take into consideration the uncertainty in the market
when they decide to sell assets.
Our reporter Peata Melbourne
is in Wellington chasing this story, Peata.
An economist was contracted by the Green Party to write a report
on the asset sales.
Today his report was released,
but this time it was for a Maori group.
Under the sad circumstances of those who have recently passed on,
emotions came to the fore as current issues were discussed.
Ngati Ruapani were the last speakers to present at the hearing.
It was their lawyer who recommended
for this economist to stand and present evidence.
The uncertainty surrounding this case is significant for both sides
where water is the production source of money for the Crown
and life source for iwi.
In the last four days,
the Tribunal has heard iwi from all over the country
tell their story of their waterways.
The difficult part of the hearing
was that not all parties could be given the chance to be heard.
The Tribunal will examine the evidence
before putting their findings in a report.
The iwi lawyers will surmise their findings this afternoon,
and Crown will present their evidence tomorrow.
There are many concerns if state assets were sold to investors.
That's the main point of the economist today.
So there are many issues for the Crown to consider, Scotty.
Thank you Peata Melbourne, live from Wellington.
Mana Party leader Hone Harawira says
if the government were to ignore any recommendations
that were favourable to iwi ownership,
the Maori Party should walk away from their coalition with National.
Hone Harawira joins me now.
Tena koe, Hone.
You're saying Maori Party should part ways with National. Why?
Because in this fight for water, there's two sides –
on one side there's the Maori Council, iwi, as well as Mana.
On the other side, there's the government,
with the Maori Party saying they're in both camps.
They'd better be careful;
there'll come a day when it'll come to bite them.
What does your heart say;
do you think they will leave National?
I tell them to come back to their iwi.
Our opponent is the Government.
Don't side with them.
Come back so that we stand together as one, as 'Mana Maori'.
That's something we'll fight for.
How will this issue affect the PM and his government?
He wants this issue to end so that he can sell off
the water and all of our assets.
But I know the Council is focused on fighting this.
If they win in the Tribunal, they'll go to the High Court,
and on the court's authority
the government's actions in selling off our water rights
will be stopped.
This is good for you, isn't it?
It gives you the opportunity to push your party and your own agendas.
Long before the claim,
I went to the Maori Council
and asked them to take this issue on board.
I was there at Waitangi to support their claim.
Mana was there on the hikoi against asset sales.
I was also there on the first day of the claim,
and I told Maanu (Paul) that I was there
to support the cause for Maori to drive our own matters.
What is Mana doing to support these claims?
I've already said what Mana and I have been doing.
As well as that, when I arrived there,
people of Mana were in those iwi;
they were the claimants supporting the cause.
Because this isn't about Mana, but about our Maori sovereignty.
John Key says the Tribunal has no binding power
over the government and that asset sales will go ahead.
Will it happen like that?
Now you're hearing mainstream NZers are saying, like Gareth Morgan,
you can't buy a car without a paper to say they can sell it.
John Key needs to realise that he can't sell our water
without being entitled to do so.
Hone Harawira, thank you for joining us.