Government asks for more time on foreshore hearing

By RUTH BERRY

The Government will today ask the Waitangi Tribunal to delay an urgent hearing into its foreshore and seabed plans, saying it has yet to finalise them.

It was today to release its "confirmed policy" on the issue to claimant lawyers representing a number of hapu and iwi, who allege the proposals made public so far are a breach of the treaty.

The tribunal has scheduled a judicial conference for Monday, when it was to decide whether the policy differed significantly from the one released in August.

If the policy was different it was to consider rescheduling the urgent hearing set down for early next month.

But sources told the Herald yesterday that Crown Law's submission, expected to be released today, would ask for the hearing to be delayed, possibly for some months, as the revised policy is not ready.

Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet officials told a parliamentary select committee yesterday they were still several weeks off finishing their analysis of the 2100 public submissions. The Government has conducted a number of behind-the-scenes briefings on the issue and sources said it was still testing out ideas.

It still intends to introduce legislation to prevent the Maori Land Court awarding freehold title, but may now delay it to give time for other issues at the heart of the debate - such as co-management of coastal areas and resources - to be more fully debated.

It wants continuing discussions between central and local governments and whanau, hapu and iwi on these issues.

The Port of Marlborough on Monday was granted final leave by the Court of Appeal to appeal the Government's plans to the Privy Council.

That case would not be heard for about six months, which would prevent applications for freehold title being pursued in the Land Court in the interim.

National leader Bill English yesterday called on the Government to send some public signals on how it would respond to the tribunal's inquiry.

"It should be telling them it is not interested in global solutions and not interested in trade-offs between Maori and Pakeha."