Friday 18 Jun 2004

Gerry Eckhoff - Press Releases - Other

ACT New Zealand Fisheries Spokesman Gerry Eckhoff today repeated his prediction that a Labour Government proposal to give Maori catch rights to fish caught in international waters could harm race relations in New Zealand.

"Fisheries Minister David Benson-Pope must explain to New Zealanders the justification for giving Maori a 20 percent share of fish caught outside this country's territorial waters," Mr Eckhoff said.

"Maori have no ancestral, historical or traditional connection with these waters. The allocation of this quota will only serve to perpetuate the perception among many pakeha that Maori are being granted special privileges.

"It is nonsense for the Minister to require that New Zealand-registered boats, fishing in international waters, hand over a share of their catch entitlement to Maori, especially when Maori have had every opportunity to participate in the fishing industry.

"After years of development and hard work have gone into the fishing industry - by Maori and pakeha alike, the Minister now wants to give some select Maori more than their fair share. Meanwhile, the majority of Maori are unlikely to see any tangible benefits of this allocation.

"Prime Minister Helen Clark must pull her Minister into line, and knock this proposal on its head. It is racist and divisive. The Government must send a clear message to the public that enough is enough. If not, the public will have every right to ask when it will ever end," Mr Eckhoff said.

ENDS

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Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>