Peters expected to take aim at Govt

Winston Peters is expected to speak out against the Government today. Photo / Mark Mitchell

A resurgent Winston Peters is expected to launch a public attack on the Government today for reopening the contentious foreshore and seabed debate.

It is being seen as his first step in a return to the national politics stage, with friends suggesting he may run for Parliament again.

He is said to have firmly ruled out a tilt at the mayoralty of the new Auckland Supercity.

Otago University politics lecturer Bryce Edwards said NZ First's 4.1 per cent share of the vote at last year's election was significant, and Peters needed only one more percentage point to become a "major player" again.

"This is about the right time for him to lay his cards on the table, and the repeal of the Foreshore and Seabed Act is perfect fuel for him to launch a comeback."

The New Zealand First leader provided the last Labour Government with the numbers to pass the Foreshore and Seabed Act in 2004, which removed the chance of Maori winning legal title to stretches of coastline.

But now a review, commissioned by the National Government as part of a deal with the Maori Party, has recommended repealing the act and allowing iwi to seek land title through the courts.

The review was led by former High Court justice Eddie Durie, a frequent target of Peters' past attacks on the "Treaty settlement gravy train". Peters seems likely to target any perceived potential for public access to the beaches to be restricted.

Earlier this year, the Herald on Sunday revealed that Maori Party co-leader Pita Sharples, as Maori Affairs Minister, would sign off a court memo returning control of numerous sacred East Coast foreshore areas to Ngati Porou. After the report, the Government postponed the deal to allow more discussion.

Peters is due to be interviewed by One News' Guyon Espiner on this morning's Q+A show.