Media Release

9 September 2003

Co-Management A Form Of Co-Madness

New Zealand First has questioned the Government’s concept of “co-management” of the foreshore and seabed, saying that the issue is in danger of being decided “on the run”.

Maori Affairs spokesperson Bill Gudgeon said that the “co-management” concept seems to have been a knee-jerk response to public rejection of the “public domain” policy put forward so proudly by Helen Clark a few short weeks ago.

“Co-management would be a silly, unworkable system under which nobody would know who owned what and who would be responsible. Such a system would be fraught with difficulties and open to abuse.

“People only have to look at the argument at Port Waikato where competing interests are making life miserable for local residents. This would happen all over New Zealand.”

Mr Gudgeon said the only safe option was that the Crown should own the foreshore and seabed for all New Zealanders.

“Everybody would know where they stood and there would be a fair system for sorting out any competing interests.”

ENDS

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