"It's not related. The water crisis is not a Covid-related event ....
Waikato iwi want to block Auckland Council's bid to more than double the city's daily water grab from the Waikato River.
Auckland's mayor has asked the Environment Select Committee to add the consent to the list of 11 fast-tracked projects on the Covid-19 Recovery Bill.
But those responsible for protecting the river say Auckland's drought crisis is nothing to do with Covid-19.
The existing consent request was made in 2013 and remains at 106th in the queue.
Waikato-Tainui says the fast-track application was never raised with them, and it's not pleased.
The chair of Te Arataura, Tainui's executive board, Rukumoana Schaafhausen, said the council shouldn't be able to use Covid-19 as an excuse to jump the queue.
Full article: https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/419614/waikato-iwi-look-to-block-auckland-water-grab
