Coastal Coalition
Committed to retaining the Foreshore and Seabed in Crown ownership
www.CoastalCoalition.co.nz

Never-ending claims from Iwi and the Maori Party

The Coastal Coalition today warned that the National Party's new foreshore and seabed bill was not only racist, but it would further open a new Pandora's box of Maori grievances.

The Maori Party now claims that "They will not rule out using post-election negotiations to try to get a better deal on the foreshore and seabed". Dr Hugh Barr, spokesman for the Coalition - a grass roots organisation seeking that the foreshore and seabed remains in Crown ownership for the good of all New Zealanders - said “By trying to satisfy Maori Party demands, National is creating a massive new grievance on non-iwi Kiwis”..

"If National puts the country on this slippery slope, by confiscating the public property rights of all New Zealanders so some can be transferred to corporate iwi, anyone who knows how the Maori elite work can tell you that it won't be enough.

"The Maori Party will never stop trading votes to future governments in return for the bar being lowered even further until eventually the whole foreshore and seabed is under Maori control. Then they will turn their sights on the exclusive economic zone out to the 200 nautical mile limit. Tribes and the Green Party are already saying that the foreshore and seabed area should be given to them out to the 200 nautical mile limit.

"Under the National Government's new bill, the government expects 2,000 km of coastline to be transferred to corporate iwi - that's the distance from North Cape to the Bluff wrapped around the coast and extended out to the 12 nautical mile limit. In these areas, iwi will have stronger powers than local authorities and even central government agencies. The National Government is giving away New Zealand sovereignty to iwi on the Foreshore and Marine area" Dr Barr said.

"National is selling out the democratic rights of all New Zealanders to the Maori aristocracy with it's racist bill. We will be vigorously opposing it", Dr Barr said.

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