Government refutes Maori UN race complaints

By RUTH BERRY


The Government has met a United Nation's committee's "please explain" command over the foreshore bill by claiming it has a track record of dealing with Maori claims in good faith.

It has strongly rejected allegations by several iwi that its MPs and other officials are fuelling racial hatred against Maori and appealing to racial intolerance.

The UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) requested a report on the bill by the Government last month.

It followed requests for the committee to invoke its early warning procedures by Te Runanga o Ngai Tahu, the Treaty Tribes Coalition and the Taranaki Maori Trust Board.

The groups claimed the bill was the most serious example of racial discrimination against Maori in the last 160 years.

They said it was in serious breach of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination and that New Zealand had a lack of adequate procedures to challenge racial discrimination.

CERD is considering the Government's defence, which it released after gaining the committee's approval.

The Government has rejected all the accusations.

While strong views had been expressed "the debate has been ... without exception peaceful", the report said.

There had been "extensive steps to recognise Maori rights and interests in the marine area and their influence on the Government's approach to the bill".

There had been criticism that the bill provided for negotiated redress, rather than monetary compensation when a territorial title was identified.

But this was because claimants had said the issue was "not reducible to financial interests alone" and required a role in management of the foreshore and seabed.

The Government also noted the bill could yet "well be altered" by Parliament or the select committee reviewing it.