Maori should be driving force for geothermal in NZ
Maori Waka (war canoe) in New Zealand (source: flickr/ easegill, creative commons)
Alexander Richter
10 Jul 2013
With the majority of geothermal resources being on land controlled by Maori groups and trusts, they should be a driving force in development of geothermal projects in New Zealand.
A recent Maori Geothermal Symposium in Rotorua, New Zealand brought together Maori landowners and stakeholders of the geothermal industry in New Zealand.
As a keynote speaker, Dr. Pita Sharples, Maori Party co-leader, said that “Maori should (utlimately) retain control of their assets”, meaning geothermal resources in the country, and be a “driving force for geothermal development in New Zealand.”
The recent partly privatization of Mighty River Power, saw opposition from Maori groups over – so the groups – unclear water rights of geothermal resources in the country, a claim denied by courts in the process.
The symposium this week, put on by GNS Science, the Waiariki Institute of Technology and Te Puni Kokiri, saw discussions around management of resources and further development.
Today, many of the geothermal resources in the centre of New Zealand’s North Island are still under Maori ownership and groups are interested in understanding how the resources can be developed.
But there are also efforts to economic development beyond geothermal on that land.
Source: Rotorua Daily Post,
