Peters Winston: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Peters Winston: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Sitting date: 19 July 2012. Volume:681;Page:3758. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
11. 
Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS (Leader—NZ First) 
 to the  
Minister of Maori Affairs 
: Does he consider water to be an economic resource for Maori? 
Hon CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON (Associate Minister of Maori Affairs) 
on behalf of the Minister of Maori Affairs: Among other things yes.  
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: Does he agree with the Maori Council that water should not be used without the permission of hapu; if so how does he reconcile this stance with that of the Prime Minister who has stated that “no one can own water”? 
Hon CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON 
: It is perfectly reconcilable. There are rights and interests in water that have been reflected in legislation passed through this House on many occasions over the last few years. That is entirely consistent with having legitimate rights and interests and ownership is irrelevant.  
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: Did the Prime Minister assure him that Maori will be given preferential treatment over non-Maori in respect of water rights or was last night’s meeting with the Prime Minister a fulfilment of the old Maori proverb about the Maori sprat being swallowed by the blue shark? 
Hon CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON 
: That was a meeting between party leaders for which there is no ministerial responsibility.  
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: Does he agree that Maori and all other New Zealanders are entitled to a clear and coherent statement on the fundamental principles that apply to water rather than the multiple varied and changing statements that the Government has issued to suit particular audiences? 
Hon CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON 
: Of course they are entitled to that and that is what they get. What people are entitled to know is that Maori have legitimate rights and interests in water and that has been reflected in the work programme of this Government—and in particular the Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations—over the last 3½ years and I might add that of previous administrations.  
Hon Shane Jones 
: Why did he believe that the Prime Minister’s comments about the Waitangi Tribunal and water claims were “an insult to all of us”? 
Hon CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON 
: Because at the time as so often happens with the press half the story was printed not the full story.  
Hon Shane Jones 
: Does the Minister agree that his meeting with the Prime Minister shows that for him blood is not thicker than water? 
Hon CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON 
: It is a shame that member did not listen to the earlier answer because that was a meeting between party leaders for which there is no ministerial responsibility.  
Te Ururoa Flavell 
: Kia ora tatou. Does he support the Land and Water Forum’s recommend—[ 
Interruption 
]  
Mr SPEAKER 
: Te Ururoa Flavell start again.  
Te Ururoa Flavell 
: Does he support the Land and Water Forum’s recommendations around co-governance particularly that a non-statutory national land and water commission should be established on a co-governance basis with iwi; if so what is he doing to progress this? 
Hon CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON 
: The forum’s work is ongoing and Ministers are yet to make decisions on the final form of any reforms. As to what the Minister of Maori Affairs is doing the Minister always advocates for and supports what is in the best interests of Maori which is why I know that his Associate Minister thinks he is one of the best Ministers of Maori Affairs this country has ever had—much better than the chap who held the job for a few months in 1991.  
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: I seek leave to table—because it is no longer available immediately—the 1991 Budget which shows I defended the Maori affairs portfolio and he did not.  
Mr SPEAKER 
: Order! Whereas there was some debate previously about documents that may not—[ 
Interruption 
] Order! There was some debate about documents that may no longer be available; those Budget documents are very much available to members.