Process Abuse Smacks Of Desperation

ACT Deputy Leader John Boscawen today condemned the outrageous abuse of process that the Government has committed in its attempt to rush the Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Bill into law, and pledged that ACT would continue its fight against the deeply flawed and divisive legislation.

“Maori Affairs Select Committee members had only two hours on Tuesday to consider over 500 pages of officials’ recommendations, and tabled the report yesterday. They couldn’t have comprehensively considered the recommendations in that time,” Mr Boscawen said.

“The Select Committee, tasked with considering submissions, also recommended the Bill go before the House without amendment – despite submitters overwhelmingly opposing it – and Select Committee members were given only 16 hours to prepare minority reports.

“Such an abuse of process means only one thing: that the Government is desperate to rush this Bill into law before the Maori Party falls apart.

“Underlining this are Attorney-General Chris Finlayson’s attempts to neutralise ACT’s opposition to the Bill – bowing to ACT pressure by begrudgingly accepting some transparency over backroom foreshore and seabed negotiations, and promising a Supplementary Order Paper guaranteeing free public access.

“This Bill is deeply flawed and divisive, and ACT has today released an analysis of the submissions (http://www.act.org.nz/files/Waves-Of-Discontent.pdf) demonstrating even further that the National and Maori Parties have no public mandate to pass it.

“ACT will not stop advocating the wishes of the public just because the Government has made two concessions. We will continue fighting for the Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Bill to be scrapped for the good of all New Zealanders,” Mr Boscawen said.

ENDS

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