Call for Release of Suppressed Submissions

Dr Muriel Newman of the Coastal Coaliton today called for the public release of the supressed submissions on the government's foreshore and seabed review.

"It is now five months since submissions closed at the end of April. Since the Ministry of Justice stated that these submissions would be released - ''The Ministry of Justice will publicly release your submissions, a summary of submissions and a list of submitters on its website' - we want to know why the Attorney General has been withholding them? What is there is to hide?", Dr Newman asked.

"With the Maori Affairs select committee now calling for submissions on the government's foreshore and seabed replacement bill, it is important to be able to see whether any notice was taken of the suggestions made in April.

"We understand that around 1,500 submissions were received by the Minister, so in the interest of transparency and open government, it is time the Minister stopped suppressing the information but made it available for all to see", Dr Newman said.

ENDS

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