Labour pulls foreshore support

Labour leader Phil Goff. Photo / Herald on Sunday

Labour has confirmed it will pull its support for new foreshore legislation, saying it does not offer a lasting solution.

That leaves the legislation with a more precarious future with only a two vote majority to pass it with.

Labour leader Phil Goff confirmed this afternoon the party would not be backing the bill.

Many iwi don't like the new Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Bill, a result of a Government deal with the Maori Party.

But there are divisions even within the Maori Party, with maverick MP Hone Harawira strongly opposed.

The replacement legislation returns to Maori the right to seek customary title over parts of the coast through the courts or through negotiation with the Government.

The main concern of dissenting iwi is that the test for that is uninterrupted use and occupation since 1840, which they say was too high and would rule out many applications.

Labour initially said it would support the bill but without it the vote would be very close.

Former Labour MP Chris Carter has said he would follow Labour's lead and Jim Anderton would also vote with Labour takings its total to 59.

ACT, Mr Harawira and the Greens oppose the bill, so National would have its own 58 votes, plus four from the Maori Party and one from United Future's Peter Dunne to give it 63 votes in the 122-strong house.

- NZPA