Green co-leader Marama Davidson on why a decision made by a Green minister was against Green policy.

Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is facing intense backlash from members threatening to quit over a decision made by one of her ministers to allow a Chinese water bottler to expand.

Davidson has said she "doesn't like" the decision after the co-leader of the Young Greens Max Tweedie wrote on an internal Facebook page that that he was "extremely disappointed" in the decision.

Land Information Minister Eugenie Sage, one of three Green ministers, announced the decision on Tuesday which allows in principle a Chinese water bottling giant to purchase land in order to expand their existing Otakiri Springs water bottling plant near Whakatane.

The decision was made with associate finance minister David Clark based on advice from the Overseas Investment Office.

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Sage put out a blog post on the decision on the Green Party website.

MARTIN DE RUYTER/STUFF Land Information Minister Eugenie Sage is facing backlash from her own party over a decision to allow a water bottler to buy new land.

She acknowledged it was surprising the call had been made by a member of the Green Party as it had an election policy to ban new water bottling consents, impose a levy on water exports, and more concretely respect Treaty of Waitangi rights around water.

"Some people might wonder why a Green MP who is a Minister has allowed such a land purchase involving a water bottling plant to go ahead," Sage wrote.

"Basically the law is clear about what Ministers can and cannot take into account."

The Overseas Investment Act only allows Ministers to take into account "substantial and identifiable" benefit to New Zealand and conservation values - but not Treaty of Waitangi rights.

Despite this post, prominent members of the party were fuming on an internal Facebook group on Tuesday night, and asking the Greens to publicly disown the decision.

"What the f... is the point of us being in government and having this portfolio if we throw our Te Tiriti [Treaty] obligations in the bin," wrote Tweedie.

SUPPLIED Chinese bottling company Nongfu Spring has applied through an NZ subsidiary, Creswell NZ Ltd, to draw 580 millions litres of water a year from Otakiri Springs, near Whakatane.

"This is an absolute joke, I'm extremely disappointed in Eugenie and so angry that this came from us ... This is a test for us as to how we respond to this, I would like the non ministerial part of our caucus to oppose this publicly, I'm actually livid."

Davidson, who ran for co-leader on a platform of greater connection with members, acknowledged in a comment on that post "we don't like this decision."

"There were strong legal implications for us opposing this. We will have to seek changes in the legislation to avoid legal consequences. While there are definitely Tiriti implications in this issue, it's not a core Treaty issue in this case," Davidson wrote.

JASON DORDAY/STUFF Marama Davidson: "We don't like this decision."

A prominent member of the party wrote he was "fuming".

"I don't know if I can stay in the party, on principle after this. Ngāti Awa people (who almost universally oppose this) are absolutely livid."

Davidson responded that this position was "valid and shows how much we need to be accountable on this."

Speaking on her way into the House Davidson repeated that the decision was not consistent with Green Party values or policy.

"This decision does not sit with Green Party kaupapa and long-time policy."



She said the party would continue to lobby for a law change to allow ministers more leeway, acknowledging many members were very concerned.

Sage told Stuff she understood why Green Party members would be upset.

"I absolutely understand members' concerns about the decision. The Green Party leadership and MPs understand our members' concerns," Sage said.

"There are opportunities to improve the law and I hope people will get involved in that. Green MPs will push hard for changes to the law and for a charge on bottled water exports."

"I made a decision under the current law."

Davidson has been asked for further comment. Tweedie declined to comment further.

The consent means Creswell NZ Ltd - a subsidiary of Chinese bottling giant Nongfu Spring - can purchase a freehold and leasehold interest in approximately 6.2 ha of sensitive land at Otakiri.

Cresswell NZ proposes to expand the existing water bottling plant and invest more than $42.5 million over four years to upgrade the plant and establish two new bottling lines.

The expansion would allow the company to draw 1.1 billion litres of water a year from the springs, with most of it being exported to China.

The expansion is projected to provide 32 jobs within two years and 60 within four years.