Peter Williams: Why are we waiting?

The Ngai Tahu water case is clogged in a judge's chambers

There are no official records for New Zealand’s longest delay between a court hearing and the judgement.

High Court guidelines say judges expect 90 percent of reserved decisions to be delivered within three months of the last day of the hearing. The Chief High Court Judge regards a reserved judgement as being “outstanding beyond a reasonable time” once six months have elapsed.

So where does that leave Justice Melanie Harland and her decision on the Ngai Tahu Freshwater Statement of Claim hearing which finished on April 4th last year?

Matua Kahurangi: Racism in our rivers - Māori elites claim water for their own

The latest High Court case over Māori freshwater rights is being hailed as “landmark” by some. Peel back the layers, and what we’re really seeing is the definition of modern-day racism - a race claiming exclusive control over a resource that belongs to everyone.

Water is life. It sustains us all, Māori and European Kiwi’s alike. However in 2025, a coalition of iwi collectives and Māori landowner organisations is arguing that because of their ancestry, they should have special authority over New Zealand’s freshwater. Never mind the fact that most of the population has no say. Never mind that everyday Māori, those struggling to pay rent, heat their homes, and put kai on the table, will not see a cent of any benefit.