By: Mike Hosking | Tuesday, July 31, 2012 9:22 AM

It is like the train of good intention that runs hopelessly out of control, no one really knowing how to apply the brakes.

The latest from the Waitangi Tribunal is the Government should halt the asset sales programme. Not because the tribunal has decided one way or another on the Maori Council’s claim over water rights but because they think it's a weighty issue, that if the sales went ahead could inconvenience and disadvantage claimants. What a bunch of arrogant twaddle!

So if we could all please just put our lives on hold while a bunch of agitators who represent, well who do they represent? The Maori Council? Just who specifically is their constituency? Does anyone really know? The business of the nation can just wait in abeyance until they can work out whether the council owns any water.

One hopes the Government deals with this the way it should be - with a shredder or distain or a combination of the two. This is the result of Labour’s goodwill all those years ago. The idea wasn’t all bad. Maori, or at least some Maori, had real grievances with real apologies owing and a body to deal with it (independent of the Government) had merit. But a good idea doesn't automatically lead to good execution.

This good idea has increasingly grown in size, longevity and arrogance. The only redeeming feature of its structure is that it can be ignored which is exactly why the Prime Minister said what he did the other week on this and incurred the wrath of those that have been duped or deluded into believing the tribunal is more important than it is. Governments run countries, not judges, retired judges, lawyers, claimants or tribunals. If a government had to halt, hold up, stall, change or dump policy that they were duly elected on every time some kite flyer turned up, we’d still be dressed in sacks and walking behind donkeys ploughing fields.

The tribunal does itself and its constituents a massive disservice every time it overreaches by making ludicrous and grandiose statements like this one over water. Those with the spell cast over them believing every utterance of the tribunal are only heading for disappointment when the cold hard light of reality is shone upon their expectations by a government that (thank god) sees this lot for what they are.

In the court of common sense and public opinion, a court in which the Government largely operates, the consensus is that no one owns water. In that same court, the consensus is governments who are elected with the numbers have the mandate. And in that same court, jumped up tribunals run the risk of contempt and humiliation if they keep spouting self-important nonsense, expecting anyone with any brain power to actually listen.

Photo: NZ Herald