Maori Party - wake up and smell the kaimoana before it’s too late!!

Part 3, Committee in the House - Marine and Coastal Area Bill
Hone Harawira - Te Reo Motuhake o Te Tai Tokerau
Thu 17 Mar 2011

Mr Chairman, members of both the National and Maori Parties have deliberately tried to disrupt the flow of my korero, particularly during Part 3 of this Marine and Coastal Area Bill, so as we turn to Part 4 I look to their being perhaps a little more understanding and accepting of the fact that issues that I raise during this bill, I don’t raise because of any personal animosity, but because of a genuine and widely-held belief that this bill is not in the best interests of the Maori people, or the Maori Party, or indeed parliament itself.

And as I turn to this Marine and Coastal Area Bill, I pledge not to raise internal Maori Party caucus issues, nor to personalise the relationship between members of the Maori Party caucus and Ministers of the National government, because this debate should not be about what one person may or may not have said to another in the privacy of a caucus meeting, nor should it be about the relationship between MPs in this house, even though such unsubstantiated trivialities were levelled against me during the debate over Part 3 of this bill last night.

Mr Chairman, this debate should in fact be about the principles underpinning the legislation that the house is discussing, so as I turn to Part 4 of this Marine and Coastal Area Bill, I will, as I have done in all previous speaking opportunities during this debate, try to focus on the issues highlighted by this bill, and the public statements of relevant players in the development of this legislation, because Maori people deserve to know exactly how they will be affected by the decisions of those parties and persons promoting this legislation; and Mr Chairman, because I am a Member of Parliament elected to represent the specific interests of Maori, it is that particular area that I intend to focus my comments on.

So, Mr Chairman, if I might be allowed, I would like to begin my contribution to this debate by asking whether or not the Maori Party knows that the legally prescribed detail found in this Marine and Coastal Area Bill, and other legislation like it in the field of treaty settlements, and the oversight, governance and management of natural resources is setting a dangerous trend for Maori, by forcing us into the legal environment where the value of traditional Maori principles, or Kaupapa Maori, will be determined and legal precedents and benchmarks established which will impact on those principles forevermore?

And does the Maori Party realise that allowing the courtrooms to become the battleground for determining the rightness or otherwise of Kaupapa Maori found in this Marine and Coastal Area Bill, is detrimental to the principles themselves, and to the world view that they represent?

And will that make the Maori Party reconsider the position that they announced the other day … that “This bill is in the House on our initiative. Make no bones. This is a Maori Party Bill. We are pleased to stand here in support”?

And does the Maori Party realise that by so doing, they are sanctioning the legal capture of Kaupapa Maori as found in this Marine and Coastal Area Bill, thereby limiting the effectiveness of those principles, by tying them to legal concepts which themselves are derived from a society that has over time developed into the resource-exploiting, consumer dominated society that we see today, a society which in many ways is at conflict with the Maori world view that Kaupapa Maori are based on?

And will realising that they have actually done that, make the Maori Party think about withdrawing their view that … “This is a Maori Party Bill and we are pleased to stand here in support”?

And does the Maori Party realise that by giving their support to the Marine and Coastal Area Bill, they are endorsing government’s attempts to codify those principles that I have already mentioned, in a way that our tupuna would not agree with and that our people will not accept, and that by supporting this bill, the Maori Party is setting the stage for decades of litigation as Maori seek to reclaim ground lost through the passage of this bill?

And if they do realise the mistake the have made, will it help the Maori Party think about dumping the position that they announced the other day … that “This is a Maori Party Bill and we are pleased to stand here in support”?

And does the Maori Party realise that by giving their support to this Marine and Coastal Area Bill, they are setting the stage for the spectacular loss of Maori connection to the foreshore and seabed, by forcing Maori into the High Court, where $100,000 is the price of an opening address, half-a-million is the cost of progress, and unfortunate rulings are the order of the day?

And when they realise how this bill forces Maori into the court of great cost and no return, do you think that the Maori Party might actually disown the position that they announced the other day … that “This is a Maori Party Bill and we are pleased to stand here in support”?

And does the Maori Party know that by their support of this Marine and Coastal Area Bill, they may be signalling the end of all treaty claims to the foreshore and seabed, because once this bill is passed, the foreshore and seabed will no longer be in Crown hands, it will become “common space”, owned by no-one, and therefore unable to be claimed by Maori?

And when they realise how this bill will put an end to all treaty claims to the foreshore and seabed, do you suppose it might finally make the Maori Party finally wake up and say - perhaps we made the wrong decision when we announced the other day … that “This is a Maori Party Bill and we are pleased to stand here in support”?

And does the Maori Party know that their support of clause 105 of this Marine and Coastal Area Bill where Maori are required to prove customary title, is inconsistent with the position widely held by Maori throughout the country, that Maori should not have to go to court to prove what the whole world already knows anyway - that Maori were here first, why do we have to prove it?

And will the Maori Party finally accept that their position, that “This bill is in the House on our initiative. Make no bones. This is a Maori Party Bill We are pleased to stand here in support” is simply untenable to Maori and unacceptable to all those who support the principle of justice.

Mr Chairman, I began my speech by saying that I hope that those from the Maori Party and the National Party who heckled me last night (and thankfully not today) while I was speaking, understand and accept that the issues I raise during this bill, I don’t raise because of any personal animosity towards them, but because of a genuine and widely-held belief that this bill is not in the best interests of the Maori people, or the Maori Party, or indeed parliament itself.

Mr Chairman, the arrogance of the government in refusing to participate in this debate is widely noted by all New Zealanders; the decision by the Maori Party to adopt the same attitude is duly noted by all Maori as well.

tu te ao maori
tu te rangatiratanga
tu motuhake
tena tatou katoa

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