Foreshore Review – chance to restore lost ‘Opportunity and Mana’ - Maori Party

Hon Dr Pita Sharples and Hon Tariana Turia, Co-leader of the Maori Party
Thursday 5 March 2009

Maori Party co-leader, Hon Tariana Turia, says she believes that New Zealanders place great respect in the principle of fairness and will welcome the review of the foreshore legislation announced yesterday.

"This review rights an injustice whereby one particular group of New Zealanders - Maori - had their legal right to test their 'customary rights' legislated away. New Zealanders know that that is unfair and unjust."

 “The Waitangi Tribunal concluded that the Foreshore and Seabed policy took away ‘opportunity and mana’; by cutting off Maori access to the courts and effectively expropriating their property rights” said Mrs Turia.

“The Tribunal also suggested that the policy failed to treat Maori and non-Maori citizens equally, because the only private property rights abolished by the policy were those of Maori’ said Mrs Turia.

“The former Government chose to ignore these conclusions – but simply ignoring a problem doesn’t make it go away” said Mrs Turia.

Maori Party Co-leader, Dr Pita Sharples, speaking after questions about the Foreshore and Seabed Review in the House today, spoke of the review as part of a new era for the nation.

“The last six years have been greatly damaging to race relations, and have left lingering, the unresolved conflict that Labour’s foreshore law provoked” said Dr Sharples.

“We have a new government now and we live in a new political era. I'm hoping this renewed confidence and optimism will result in a better and fairer look at the issues this law has raised, and we will come up with a better solution" ended Dr Sharples.

ENDS
 

© Scoop Media