Geoff Parker: Why Control of New Zealand’s Freshwater Matters to Us All

Freshwater is arguably New Zealand’s most vital shared resource, sustaining public health, food production, energy generation, and the environment. That is why any proposal for tribal control - whether in the South Island or nationwide - should concern every New Zealander, Māori and non-Māori alike.

This debate is often mischaracterised as being about “ownership.” It is not. The real issue is control: who decides how water is allocated, who may use it, under what conditions, and with what power of veto. Those decisions determine outcomes in practice, even though water itself is not subject to legal ownership.