Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Work smarter with a Pro licence Learn More
Parliament

Gordon Campbell | Parliament TV | Parliament Today | Video | Questions Of the Day | Search

 

Foreshore agreement a disgrace - Greens

5 February 2008

Foreshore agreement a disgrace - Greens

The Green Party has received today's announcement of the Government's foreshore and seabed deal with Ngati Porou with great sadness.

The Government and representatives for Te Runanga o Ngati Porou signed a Heads of Agreement establishing Ngati Porou's relationship with the foreshore and seabed. It is the first such agreement to be reached under the Foreshore and Seabed Act 2004.

"The Foreshore and Seabed Act was a confiscation and the legal elimination of the lawful rights of a group of New Zealand citizens," Maori Affairs Spokesperson Metiria Turei says.

"The Court of Appeal said that Maori were legally entitled to investigate whether their customary rights in the foreshore and seabed still existed. But the Government, who fought against the case, legislated to strip away that legal right. It was a calculated act of discrimination and confiscation, of the kind seen in the 19th and 20th centuries.

"The Green Party strongly opposed the foreshore and seabed legislation because it discriminates against Maori on the basis of race, fails to protect the ecological values of the coastal marine area, extinguishes common law customary title without consent and ignores rights guaranteed under Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

"To announce this agreement to coincide with Waitangi Day celebrations is a further affront. As we consider the signing of the Treaty between two sovereign nations and the abuses that have interfered with its development, this announcement simply reminds us of the 21st century confiscation that took place.

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

Are you getting our free newsletter?

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.

"The Minister of Maori Affairs is fooling himself if he believes that today's Heads of Agreement is a major step towards protecting Maori ancestral associations with the foreshore and seabed. This signing signals the extent to which this Government will fight any attempt by Maori to have their customary rights acknowledged in law. The Minister once agreed that Maori should not have their lands confiscated - now he participates in that confiscation.

"Ngati Porou has little to celebrate either. The leadership failed to support the campaign to retain Maori legal and customary rights and have now reaped the reward for their acquiescence. This simply proves that divide and rule tactics, used for over a century against Maori, continue to succeed."

The Green Party is committed to the repeal of the seabed and foreshore legislation and supports Tariana Turia's member's bill, which seeks to do just that, Mrs Turei says.

ENDS

© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Regional Headlines


Gordon Campbell: On The US Opposition To Mortgage Interest Deductibility For Landlords


Should landlords be able to deduct the interest on the loans they take out to bankroll their property speculation? The US Senate Budget Committee and Bloomberg News don't think this is a good idea, for reasons set out below. Regardless, our coalition government has been burning through a ton of political capital by giving landlords a huge $2.9 billion tax break via interest deductibility, while still preaching the need for austerity to the disabled, and to everyone else...
More


 
 

Government: Concerns Conveyed To China Over Cyber Activity
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity... More

ALSO:


Government: GDP Decline Reinforces Government’s Fiscal Plan

Declining GDP for the December quarter reinforces the importance of restoring fiscal discipline to public spending and driving more economic growth, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says... More

ALSO:


Government: Humanitarian Support For Gaza & West Bank

Winston Peters has announced NZ is providing a further $5M to respond to the extreme humanitarian need in Gaza and the West Bank. “The impact of the Israel-Hamas conflict on civilians is absolutely appalling," he said... More


Government: New High Court Judge Appointed

Judith Collins has announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister Jason Scott McHerron as a High Court Judge. Justice McHerron graduated from the University of Otago with a BA in English Literature in 1994 and an LLB in 1996... More

 
 
 
 
 
 

LATEST HEADLINES

  • PARLIAMENT
  • POLITICS
  • REGIONAL
 
 

InfoPages News Channels


 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.