Government Rips Property Rights Off Fisherman Under Urgency

Wednesday 28th Jun 2000 Rodney Hide Media Release -- Economy

ACT Fisheries Spokesman Rodney Hide today said that it was outrageous that the Government was ripping property rights off fishermen to settle Treaty of Waitangi Claims.

Rodney Hide said the Fisheries Amendment Bill (no2), which the Government is today forcing through Parliament under urgency, provides Maori with twenty percent of quota of the new species brought into the Quota Management System.

“The problem is that existing fishermen lose out where there are insufficient fish to go around. They lose their twenty percent to satisfy the Maori claim. They lose their quota without compensation,” he said.

“The Government rightly recognises the need for compensation but only compensates fishermen for the fifty percent of the value they lose,” said Rodney Hide.

“The loss will be damaging to the fishing industry. It’s damaging to the New Zealand Government’s credibility and standing,” he said.

“The Minister himself admits he “dropped the ball” on this legislation. That’s simply not good enough. Labour promised consultation and compensation in the election campaign. It has failed to deliver,” he said.

“There are big principles at stake here. The first is the taking of property rights without compensation. The second is the settlement of Treaty claims at the expense of fishermen,” he said.

“The ACT Party says that fishermen should be compensated in full for their losses. They are suffering to settle a Treaty Claim,” said Rodney Hide.

ENDS

For more information visit ACT online at http://www.act.org.nz or contact the ACT Parliamentary Office at act@parliament.govt.nz.

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