Ngati Porou says more talking needed to resolve foreshore and seabed issue

The Chairman of Te Runanga o Ngati Porou, Dr Apirana Mahuika, said today that more dialogue between the Crown and iwi was the way to resolve the foreshore and seabed issue.

Dr Mahuika said he was dismayed by reports over the last few days that the Iwi Leadership Group and the Government have reached an impasse over the issue of private title and the proposal to put the foreshore and seabed into the so called Public Domain.

“Media reports that the concept of Public Domain was being rejected outright by the Iwi Leadership Group are incorrect.

“At the Iwi Leadership Group hui last Friday there was no resolution passed rejecting the idea of public domain and there was no resolution passed mentioning any challenge to private title,” he said.

Dr Mahuika said that discussion on these issues had been counter productive and unhelpful when in fact the resolutions passed by the ILG were much more conciliatory than what had been reported over the last few days.

This included:

Recognition that what is currently on the table is an improvement on the 2004 position.

Support for aspects of the Government’s proposal - such as the removal of Crown ownership and ensuring the foreshore and seabed is inalienable.

Recommendation that there be further discussion and negotiation with the Crown.

Dr Mahuika said Ngati Porou’s position had always been to protect the customary rights of its hapu which have been practised on the East Coast unchanged for hundreds of years.

“We continue to push for the protection of our customary rights.”

He said repeal of the 2004 Act is important if Maori are to advance recognition of their rights to the foreshore and seabed.

“The bottom line is we believe Maori and the Crown should keep talking.

“Unilateral demands and ultimatums do no one any good,” Dr Mahuika said.

ENDS

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