Waikato-Tainui accuses government of overriding Treaty settlement to pause river protection rules

Waikato-Tainui says pausing Plan Change 1 until 2032 overrides a Treaty settlement and Environment Court decisions to favour government donors, subjecting the Waikato and Waipā rivers to "another six years of degradation." The plan change stems from Te Ture Whaimana, negotiated through the iwi's Treaty settlement. Shane Jones said food security "cannot play second fiddle to any Treaty settlement" and signalled the pause may become indefinite.