National MPs Under Pressure to Break Ranks

National MPs are coming under intense pressure to break ranks and vote against the controversial Marine and Coastal Area Bill, Coastal Coalition spokesman Dr Muriel Newman said today.

“National Party MPs and Peter Dunne are coming under intense pressure from their former supporters. They want the National Party to toss the bill out because no-one wants it - neither Maori nor non-Maori. They want John Key - who said the bill would not go ahead unless there is widespread support - to honour his word. Despite the widespread opposition he is about to rush the Bill through Parliament.

“The Bill has become a major headache for the National Party. More MPs are now realising that this issue is about privilege and not about restoring fairness as was initially claimed by Prime Minister, John Key.”

The controversy has intensified since the Maori Party revealed it has made a backroom deal with National to fund the claims process. Dr Newman says this makes a mockery of John Key’s claim that the bill will heal a ‘weeping sore’.

“It is absolutely clear that the passing of the Marine and Coastal Area Bill will be the start of what will become a long and expensive process, and now we find it will be taxpayers and not iwi who will be funding that process. It’s a totally unfair situation and Kiwi’s have every right to be outraged.

“National has refused to say how much the slush fund will cost taxpayers but it is expected to be many millions of dollars and could be as high as the $23.2 million National contributed towards the Treaty claims process last year and the $25.7 million it gave to the Crown Forestry Rental Trust.

“The current debacle regarding the funding of unelected Maori representation on the new Auckland super city council shows the Maori grievance industry is all about money and privilege, not fairness. Ordinary Kiwis have had enough and are becoming increasingly agitated about the escalation of Maori privilege that is being supported by John Key.

“With the public being mislead by John Key and Chris Finlayson over the Marine and Coastal Area Bill, the sooner that National MPs find the courage to stand up for their constituents against this dreadful Bill, the better”, Dr Newman said.

ENDS