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Wai manawa whenua – faq’s:

Frequently Asked Questions:

This case challenges the Crown’s ongoing failure to uphold its Tiriti o Waitangi obligations to protect Māori rights and interests in freshwater. It seeks a Court declaration that the Crown has not honoured past assurances and must act to protect Māori proprietary rights in water before allocating it to others.

A national coalition of Māori groups, landowners, and hapū from across the motu are standing together to call for change.

A judicial declaration that the Crown has failed to honour its 2012 assurances, accompanied by an order requiring the establishment of a system to protect Māori rights and interests prior to any further water allocations, with the potential for a Court-supervised compliance regime modelled on the Lands Case.

Yes, the claim covers both.

Healthy waterways are vital for all living in Aotearoa — for drinking water, swimming, food gathering, farming, and cultural practices. When Māori rights and responsibilities as kaitiaki are respected, it benefits the entire country through sustainable, community-led water care.

For over a decade, successive governments have promised to address Māori freshwater rights but have failed to take meaningful action. This case responds to those broken promises and calls for accountability.

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