Coastal Coalition
Committed to retaining the Foreshore and Seabed in Crown ownership
www.CoastalCoalition.co.nz

10 December 2010

Media Release

Labour pulling support more than a “setback”, Mr Key

Labour’s withdrawal of support for the Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Bill is a clear sign it has recognised the huge wave of public opposition to this Bill, says Coastal Coalition spokeswoman Muriel Newman.

The Labour Party today announced it will pull its backing for the Bill because it does not offer a lasting solution and will lead to backroom deals between the Minister and iwi.

“Labour is dead right, that is exactly what this Bill will do,” said Dr Newman, “and while our Prime Minister is trying to dismiss Labour’s stand as a ‘setback’, he couldn’t be more wrong.”

“Labour at least has seen and heard the groundswell of opposition to this Bill and knows from the past couple of weeks of select committee hearings that almost no-one is in favour of it.

“We believe it’s time for the Government to stop trying to foist this unpopular and divisive piece of legislation on New Zealanders.”

The Coalition believes this Bill will:

• Remove Crown (that is, you and me) ownership of the seabed and foreshore and put it up for grabs by any iwi group claiming customary interest

• Allow iwi to lay claim for customary title and have it granted by the Minister- in secret and without any right by anyone to an appeal

• Allow iwi to claim customary title in areas where they own no adjoining land

• Allow the creation of wahi tapu areas where the public can be banned

• Allow iwi to bypass the Resource Management Act and veto and extract payment for everything that happens on their stretch of coast

ends

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