Open Letter to PM Concerning the Foreshore & Seabed Act 2003

11th November 2010

An Open Letter to the Prime Minister

Honourable Prime Minister

John Key

House of Representatives

Wellington

Marine and Coastal ( Takutai Moana ) Bill.

Sir

I am opposed to the reform of the Foreshore and Seabed Act of 2004 in any form and wish to bring to you attention the seriousness of the proposed repeal.

I do not wish to contest any particular clause or clauses as I feel that it would be both pointless and therefore superfluous.

I prefer to register my objection to the coalition government's undemocratic, unilateral decision to repeal the existing Foreshore and Seabed 2004 Act, firstly because they have no mandate to do so.

Since the announcement and introduction of the Bill, transparency has been restrained, no offer of a referendum was made to the public, submission time has been scant and no physical committee representation has been provided in many areas in which one can speak to a submission. This in effect denies the general public of their democratic right of which we hear Maori speak so much about.

In view of its stealthy introduction and the importance of this Bill, I am gravely concerned for eventual effects it will have on the majority once the Bill's true implications are digested and understood.

The Solicitor General - Chris Finlayson - failed to disclose the fact that 77% were against repealing the current 2004 Act and that a massive 91% against the new 'Tukatai Moana Bill' until recently. This underlines a total lack of transparency and suggests a conspiratorial and contemptible disregard for the average citizen of this country. A stab in the back Sir !!

Those who are aware of the impending doom soon to descend upon this country are already voting with their feet, adding to the haemorrhage of our brightest and best talent as they depart to all points of the compass. Foreign investment and development will wane as confidence falls and New Zealand will become merely a quaint little Pacific back water, begging for crumbs along with our other Pacific neighbours.

Nowhere else on this entire planet does anyone own a coastline and all that goes with it and in this case, most of the fraudulent claims are mythical, fallacious and at best ambiguous. Is it little wonder why those proposing the bill are anxious to keep it out of the legal system?

In my view, the Tukatai Moana Bill will promote division and hatred thus far unseen in this multinational / multicultural country and I for one would much rather see claims fought in a court of law than see fighting in the streets.

Sir, you must stop this now, before it is too late and before New Zealand turns into another Northern Ireland or another Apartheid South Africa.

Yours faithfully

Ken

ENDS

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