Anger over foreshore talks erupts in Gisborne

Anger by Maori protesters at the local iwi's negotiations for foreshore and seabed rights erupted as a group of Government officials arrived at Gisborne Airport this morning.

Amid chants of "runanga kupapa" (runanga traitors), protesters from several East Coast iwi said they had not been privy to the deal being negotiated between the Crown and Ngati Porou runanga.

The officials representing the Prime Minister's Office and the Ministry Justice were arriving for a two day tour of the East Coast to continue negotiations with Te Runanga o Ngati Porou.

Protest spokesman Tui Marino said it was a corporate deal for the runanga which would deny hapu and iwi their interests in assets in the same way they had been denied any benefit from the fisheries deal.

"Only the runanga have been receiving the assets, not anyone they are purporting to represent," he said.

"The runanga is selling out assets worse than the Foreshore and Seabed deal."

He accused runanga chairman Apirana Mahuika of being a traitor, selling out iwi assets.

He also challenged him over the secret nature of the negotiations, which some hapu had not known about until they read it in the media.

"You went straight past our marae and did not consult with our kaumatua," he said.

"You only consult with kaumatua you know you have got round your little finger," he said.

Mr Mahuika's son, Te Runanga o Ngati Porou lawyer Matanuku Mahuika, said the runanga was negotiating the maintenance and interest of the different East Coast whanau and hapu in the foreshore and seabed.

Although the runanga was doing the negotiations, it was doing so to "facilitate the interest of whanau and hapu".

Asked about access for all to the coast, Mr Mahuika said the iwi regarded themselves as owners now and had never denied anyone access.

The public would still have access after any agreement negotiated with the Crown.

The scenes at the airport were just a "family row", he said.

Mr Marino said the runanga represented only Ngati Porou, which was a small area of people around the Waiapu River.

He said it was usurping the mana and interests of other iwi, including Te Aitanga Hauti and Ngati Uepohatu by "lying and cheating and doing secret deals with the Crown for their own", which he considered a breach of the Treaty.

"You are selling out the rights of our children and our mokopuna."

Other protesters asked Apirana Mahuika for a share of up to $200,000 the runanga was being paid by the Crown for negotiating expenses.

In response he threw them a 50 cent coin.

- NZPA