Gerry Brownlee National Deputy Leader

Phil Heatley National Fisheries Spokesman

18 June 2004

Labour horse-trading with Maori on fish farming

Labour's deal with Maori on aquaculture is a politically expedient cave-in to spurious Treaty of Waitangi claims by Maori, says National's Deputy Leader Gerry Brownlee.

"The deal is simply a trade-off as Labour attempts to soothe ruffled Maori feathers over the foreshore and seabed."

Yesterday the Government announced a deal which will see Maori receive 20% of marine farm space allocated since 1992 and 20% of future space.

National's Fisheries spokesman, Phil Heatley, says it is ridiculous to give Maori a quota on marine farming.

"There is no way you can interpret marine farming as a traditional Maori activity.

"Maori have no claim above any other New Zealander.

"Why should they get a special advantage when others will miss out?"

The 1992 fisheries settlement gave Maori 20% of wild fish in the Quota Management System, and Mr Heatley says National stands by that settlement because fishing for wild fish was a traditional Maori activity.

"But fish farming allocation goes too far," he says.

Mr Brownlee says National's opposition to the latest deal is no different than any other non-traditional contemporary claims which National has opposed.

"This industry is less than 40-years-old and it is fanciful for Maori to claim treaty rights to any part of it.

"We opposed Maori getting airwave rights, and we opposed them getting a cut of new oil discoveries, and we oppose this.

"Labour must stop this nonsense of giving away the farm - or in this case aquaculture - in a bid to buy Maori votes."

ENDS

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