Coastal Coalition vindicated by Maori opposition to foreshore and seabed bill

The Coastal Coalition’s opposition to the Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Bill has been vindicated by the recent Horizon Research opinion poll showing only 11% Maori support for the proposed legislation.

“The Coastal Coalition has consistently and correctly maintained that widespread public support simply isn’t there for the Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Bill and indeed most people oppose this racist bill once they’ve read it,” said Dr Muriel Newman of the New Zealand Centre for Political Research.

“The Horizon Research opinion poll results just out confirm that not even most Maori believe in the government’s ‘final solution’ to ownership of New Zealand’s foreshore and seabed,” she said.

“It is plainly evident that the National-led minority government, acting in close cahoots with the Maori Party, is desperately ramming the bill down New Zealanders’ throats regardless of lack of public support and ever-growing opposition to it,” she said.

“In March 2010, Prime Minister John Key promised that the bill would not proceed if there was not ‘wide support’ for it,” she said.

“The Horizon Research poll of Maori adds even more hard evidence for what everyone except John Key seems to know. ‘Wide support’ for the Bill does not exist. For him to carry on as if it did is delusional and anti-democratic,” she said.

“John Key can still honour his promise to the New Zealand public and withdraw the Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Bill before its third and final reading,” she said.

“The Coastal Coalition urges him to see common sense and withdraw the bill immediately,” she said.

ENDS

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