Rt Hon Winston Peters
New Zealand First Leader
Member of Parliament for Northland
3 AUGUST 2017
National Backs Water Royalties for Some
New Zealand First says the National Government is being two-faced over water royalties, with one Waikato iwi set to
receive six-figure sums from Chinese-backed NZ Pure Blue.
“New Zealand First repeats the challenge to Rauwaka we made at the recent Local Government NZ Conference, and that’s to
deny it is being promised money from Chinese-backed NZ Pure Blue,” says the New Zealand First Leader and Member of
Parliament for Northland Rt Hon Winston Peters.
“It must be a good amount, six figures we are told, because it’s apparently swayed them over plans to extract up to 6.9
million litres of water a day, 2.5 billion litres every year, from Putaruru’s iconic Blue Springs.
“That annual volume is so vast it could meet the daily needs of every New Zealand household five times over.
“While we are at it, we must ask why South Waikato District Council has gone as silent as a church mouse?
“This council was apparently worried about the bona fides of this Chinese-owned company, the lack of environmental
analysis and because the application sucked up the Waihou River’s remaining allocation. Now, these are no longer issues
for it.
“New Zealand First challenges everyone involved to come clean. Especially Messrs English, Smith, Bridges and Flavell
who, on 10 May, met with Rauwaka, other iwi and the chair of Waikato Regional Council.
“The government needs to look New Zealanders in the eye and tell them that deals like this aren’t royalties paid under
the table.
“And on the sheer volume of water being applied for, this Clayton’s Royalty works out to be a fraction of one cent per
litre. They either need better negotiators or Chinese chequebooks are 21st Century taonga under National,” says Mr
Peters.
ENDS