Maori snub Brownlee speech

By JO-MARIE BROWN

With the Government's foreshore and seabed plans as unpopular with Maori as ever, National's Gerry Brownlee set out to sell his party's policy in Rotorua yesterday.

The only trouble was, hardly anyone bothered turning up to listen.

Row after row of chairs set out in St Faith's Church hall at the historic Te Arawa settlement of Ohinemutu remained largely unoccupied.

Of the 20 or so people who did attend the early afternoon public meeting, half were media or National supporters.

Five or six Maori did turn up to hear Mr Brownlee's speech but two subsequently walked out, branding him a "weak" and "disappointing" Maori affairs spokesman.

"I came along with a pretty open mind," said one.

"I wanted to hear what you had to say but listening to you talk is weak and quite sad.

"National is too aligned to what the Labour Government is doing. Theft is theft," he told Mr Brownlee before storming out.

Another Maori woman followed suit, dissatisfied with Mr Brownlee's answer to her question about National's policy on Maori education.

Mr Brownlee insisted that he had explained himself properly and challenged both to come up with a strong argument as to why Maori should be allowed to lay claim to the foreshore and seabed.

Neither were able to.

National believes the Government's proposed legislation would give Maori too much control and create a new grievance industry.

The party has said it is likely to repeal the law if elected to power.

After the meeting Mr Brownlee shrugged off the low turnout and attributed it to political apathy.

"People are great tub-thumpers in their own backyards, but they often don't bother turning up to things like this to have their say."

People were probably sick of hearing about the issue but they needed to be informed and think carefully about what was being proposed.

Meanwhile, support among Maori is growing for a hikoi to present a petition to Parliament opposing the foreshore and seabed plans.

The march will begin in Cape Reinga next Thursday and arrive in Wellington on May 5.

East Coast iwi spokesman Ngati Kahungunu spokesman Dr Pita Sharples said the proposed legislation was unjust and amounted to confiscation.

"The hikoi is just one of several actions being planned to voice our opposition," he said.

"We have been heartened by the support from other iwi and Maori organisations.

"We see it as one way of our people expressing the grassroots and widespread opposition to what the Government is doing."