For immediate release Monday 21 March 2011

Foreshore legislation will endure despite critics

AUT Professor of History, Dr. Paul Moon, assesses that the Government’s foreshore legislation – which will probably become law in a matter of days – will be a durable solution to one of the most contentious Treaty issues that New Zealand has faced in the past decade.

“There has been a lot of sound and fury about the new foreshore legislation as various parties try to use the issue to bolster their poll ratings, but within a year, the matter will largely be forgotten by most people”, says Dr. Moon. He expects the process of hapu claiming customary title will be a long one – “taking years rather than months” – and that there will be very little noticeable change for the public when these titles are awarded.

Another reason he cites for the new legislation’s likely success is the fatigue among its opponents. “The current hikoi by the Bill’s opponents was ill-conceived and has been embarrassingly small” says Dr. Moon. “People are tired of the issue after almost eight years of debate on the topic. The Marine and Coastal Area Act will at least bring closure to the matter, even if not all groups are satisfied with its contents.”

Likewise, Dr. Moon predicts that criticism from the right will also dissolve when it is shown that the new law will not be a threat to public access to the beaches.

Dr. Moon believes that the era of major Treaty settlements is nearing an end, and that in the future, the success of trust boards and runanga will be the focus of most Maori communities.

ENDS

© Scoop Media