Thursday, 23 September, 2004

Baldock: PM wrong on foreshore consultation

Prime Minister Helen Clark needs to understand that extending the consultation period for the foreshore and seabed legislation has little to do with what other politicians want and everything to do with what the public is crying out for, United Future's Larry Baldock said today.

This week, speaking on Radio Rhema, Miss Clark brushed aside Mr Baldock's call for more consultation on the legislation, saying: "How much more time does Larry want?"

"This is not about what I or any other politician or party wants. It is what nearly every submitter in the select committee process has asked for," Mr Baldock said.

"The Prime Minister seems to have forgotten that for the first six months, the Government was largely consulting with itself," he said. "Then when it got its policy worked out, it took it on a whistle-stop hui tour of the country and had the policy and process soundly rejected, followed by a further resounding rejection by the Waitangi Tribunal.

"Putting an amended version of the policy into legislation, the Government has received almost unanimous rejection of its proposal by submitters and still further condemnation of its so called consultation process.

"It really is time to do what United Future called for last week and bring in an interim select committee report to allow for more discussion to find a solution that will be acceptable to all New Zealanders," Mr Baldock said.

He said he was also concerned about reports of secret negotiations with iwi and hapu to try to satisfy their objections.

"What is happening to open, transparent democracy, I ask?"

ENDS

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