Tensions boil over at Cabinet level
While Labour might have NZ First on board when it comes to charging water bottle companies, that’s about where it stops.
There’s a hell of a stoush brewing in Cabinet over freshwater rights. If there’s one thing water-related that Labour and NZ First will never agree on it’s giving Ma¯ ori ownership rights to freshwater, and as for the Greens - they won’t have a bar of continuing any largescale irrigation schemes.
The whole issue of water has been bubbling away for years there’s a reason the former National Government never did anything substantial - it’s a Pandora’s box.
National had their supply and confidence partner, the Ma¯ ori Party, to deal with during the last nine years but that’s nothing compared to the issue Labour has with both NZ First and the Greens.
Labour’s water royalties policy architect, David Parker, is gearing up to go full steam ahead with water issues, now that his focus on getting the CPTPP across the line is all but delivered, but it’s not just NZ First he’s got beef with.
Parker’s policy allows for a royalty on commercial water consumption, which will help with the cost of cleaning up waterways and resolving long-standing Treaty water claims.
It’s understood there’s huge tension between Parker and Crown/Ma¯ ori Relations Minister Kelvin Davis, who is feeling sidelined by Parker’s determination to make progress on water rights quickly regardless of whether that’s the right approach for iwi. Davis wants to learn from past mistakes with the Foreshore and Seabed legislation, which led to Ma¯ ori voters leaving Labour in droves, and more recently changes to how the Overseas Investment Office (OIO) scrutinises forestry.
Davis is said to be furious about the pace at which the OIO changes were pushed through, leaving no time for genuine iwi consultation, and is warning Parker the brakes need to go on before he opens the floodgates on freshwater rights.
Ma¯ ori put their faith back in Labour at last year’s election when they returned all seven Ma¯ ori seats to the party and banished the Ma¯ ori Party from Parliament.
But with those seats comes expectation. Davis knows that and while Parker might see a big legacy on the horizon if he can get freshwater rights resolved once and for all, if he doesn’t get it right for iwi then it’s Labour’s Ma¯ ori caucus who will wear the mess.
As for NZ First, they have their voter base to worry about and with Labour already starting to suck up their votes in the latest polls, their concern is warranted.
Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters is staunchly opposed to any policy he sees as separatist and giving Ma¯ ori any sort of ownership over water will always be a step too far for NZ First. The party can’t afford to sell out on that for the sake of a coalition government because it would come back to bite them in the polls in 2020.
While Labour might have them on board when it comes to charging water bottle companies, that’s about where it stops.
The Greens are sitting on a supply and confidence deal with Labour that says no new irrigation schemes will be funded and the existing ones will be wound down. Irrigation scheme operators are crying out for clear information on what that means but the advice seems to be almost non-existent as Labour tries to work out how to keep them and the Greens happy.
All these differences and various relationship-managing exercises are all part of a wider powerhouse growing within Cabinet - something the Greens don’t have a seat at.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, Peters, Finance Minister Grant Robertson and Parker are the grunt behind any of the big decisions coming out of Government. There’s a wider group - Justice Minister Andrew Little, Housing Minister Phil Twyford and Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones have influence as well. But that’s where Davis’ frustration grows further.
He was made deputy leader of the Labour Party during the campaign and to his credit helped unite the Ma¯ ori vote behind Labour. But he’s not in the inner circle in the same way others are and it is understood he is feeling sidelined on some issues, which led to words between him and Parker ahead of Cabinet’s meeting on Monday.
Ardern and Peters were both in the Pacific leaving Davis as acting Prime Minister and chair of the Cabinet committee.
While Tuhoronuku, the entity currently holding the mandate for negotiations, was accused by the former Treaty Negotiations Minister Chris Finlayson of holding things up, it seems the pendulum may have swung the other way.
Representatives from Te Kotahitanga have a new opportunity under Little to be involved in the mandate but questions are being raised as to whether there’s ulterior motives at play. That extends to suggestions some Nga¯ puhi who hapu to Ngati Hine are trying to keep their own separate deal alive.
That’s not an option the Government would consider but Little is running out of time before he will have to just make a decision. If that doesn’t please everyone it will go to the Waitangi Tribunal, whichhas also been dealing with fraught freshwater rights issues.
Between Ngapuhi’s settlement and Labour’s royalty policy there’s a lot of water to go under the bridge before the next election.