Report Welcomed

The Treaty Tribes Coalition has welcomed the Foreshore and Seabed review panel's report as a well-reasoned and thorough critique that puts forward careful recommendations.

Treaty Tribes Coalition Chairwoman Maria Pera says she agrees with the findings in the report that the Foreshore and Seabed Act is bad law that should never have been passed.

"We have always maintained that the Foreshore and Seabed Act breached the rule of law by extinguishing Māori property rights, and in doing so, breaching international human rights and constitutional law.

"The report clearly vindicates the Coalition's successful efforts to bring the matter to the attention of the United Nations."

Maria Pera says the Coalition strongly supports the recommendation to repeal the Act, and put in place an interim Act that allows Iwi and the Crown to have a considered approach to the way forward.

"We commend the panel for rightly identifying the key issues concerning the foreshore and seabed. The most important recommendations are those that provide for Iwi and Hapū to constructively contribute to management of the marine environment through co-management arrangements."

She says the Coalition considers that the report is a courageous document and hopes the government will be equally brave in their response to the report.

"We look forward to being able to discuss the report with responsible Ministers in due course. We also commend this government for moving quickly to have the Act reviewed."

ENDS

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