Foreshore bill gets first reading

Maori Party MP Hone Harawira has said he won't vote for the bill. Photo / Mark Mitchell

The lack of finality expressed by the Maori Party over the new foreshore legislation is concerning Labour which says now is the best environment to get progress.

The Marine and Coastal Area (Takitai Moana) Bill, which replaces the foreshore and seabed legislation, will get its first reading in Parliament this afternoon.

The government legislation is sure to pass despite only having the support of four of the five Maori Party MPs - MP Hone Harawira has said he will not vote for it.

Normally MPs vote within party lines but Mr Harawira has acted like an independent MP with his decision to vote against legislation that is his party's core policy.

His party's leadership also says the bill isn't perfect and is not ruling out future changes.

"We are not entirely happy with the bill, neither are the iwi leaders, neither are the general public but we've all done our best and this is definitely a move forward," Pita Sharples said yesterday.

The Maori Party was formed when now co-leader Tariana Turia quit Labour over its Foreshore and Seabed Act, passed in 2004 following a 2003 court ruling that raised the possibility, in some narrow instances, for Maori customary title to convert into freehold title.

Her party has fought for repeal and restoration of the ability to secure customary title to parts of the coastline.

Labour MP David Parker said National had scaremongered when it passed the original legislation.

"The Kiwi not Iwi billboard campaign National ran back in 2004 was wrong and divisive," he said.

Labour had agreed to back the new bill even though it felt an amendment to its law would have achieved the same thing.

"The decision to repeal rather than amend is a face saving exercise for the Maori Party and Labour has said we can go along with that too."

He asked why a full and final settlement of the law around seabed and foreshore claims could not be made in such a benign environment as now.

"Why go through all this grief and cost if it does not fully and finally settle the legal framework for foreshore and seabed claims?

"How could either the Government or the Maori Party call that a success?"

The Greens are voting against the bill - they say it treats Maori differently from other land owners.

Green MP David Clendon said the bill was essentially the same as Labour's Act, undermined the Treaty of Waitangi relationship and set too high a bar to prove customary rights.

A group of port chief executives has welcomed the bill.

"The port company CEOs very much appreciate the open and frank way the Attorney General Christopher Finlayson has dealt with port company concerns," their spokesman Barrie Saunders said.

"He and his colleagues have adopted some of our suggestions, including the very sensible and practical proposition that fee simple titles be issued for port reclamations.

"We are also pleased that the bill accepts essential infrastructure such as ports must be allowed to operate without any new restrictions flowing from the granting of new Maori customary marine titles."

- NZPA