Govt admission: Maori title will apply to entire coastline

The Government has finally come clean on the scope of its plans for Maori customary title over our foreshore and seabed, says National's Constitutional and Treaty of Waitangi spokesman Dr Wayne Mapp.

Today the Attorney-General, in answers to parliamentary questions from Dr Mapp, said that the Government intended Maori customary title would apply to virtually the entire coastline.

Dr Mapp says this admission will shock New Zealanders who had been led to believe by the Prime Minister that such title would apply only to a few selected areas.

"The Government also confirmed today that its plans will give Maori special consultation rights over the management and development of all New Zealand beaches.

"This is a gross breach of the principle of equality before the law," say Dr Mapp

"It can only lead to division in our country".

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