Crown position ‘directly contradicts my recollection’

Ngāi Tahu is seeking court declarations over freshwater rights, with evidence suggesting the Crown’s position contradicts the tribe’s recollection of settlement negotiations. Negotiators aimed to preserve rights without signing them away, leading to a compromise in the 1990s settlement. Ngāi Tahu wanted statutory authority over Te Waihora/Lake Ellesmere, but settled for lakebed title, highlighting the limitations of current rangatiratanga expression.

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