Governance of Water in New Zealand: An Elegant Solution? This chapter is grounded in the context of Aotearoa New Zealand while drawing on larger references, such as the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous peoples, the Rio+20 Declaration and constitutional provisions for Rights of Nature. The chapter analyses a proposed new model for the contentious issue of freshwater governance in New Zealand based on responsible use which also addresses the complex world of state-Māori relations.