Samuels backs government's plan

12.00pm

Labour MP Dover Samuels says he supports the Government's foreshore and seabed proposals and expects Maori extremists will tell him to resign because of his attitude.

Maori Affairs Minister Parekura Horomia has admitted there are "tensions" within the Maori caucus, but Mr Samuels left no doubt which side he was on.

"I support these proposals. I think they are visionary and forward looking rather than arguing about who was here first," he told NZPA.

"I'm a realist. I believe the Prime Minister has moved a long way in terms of the ownership issue when she says the foreshore and seabed is owned by everybody, including Maori."

Mr Samuels said he anticipated getting a rough ride when he explained the proposals to iwi representatives and got their feedback during the six-week consultation period.

Mr Samuels, one of Labour's longest serving MPs, said the debate had been captured by extremists.

"You've got the Maori sovereignty people and then you've got the rednecks on the other side," he said.

"If they think I'm going to walk, they shouldn't hold their breath. That's what in the air from these sovereignty people if Maori are not given title to the foreshore and seabed.

"I haven't been in the Labour Party for 40 years to give up my job now... we're making huge progress in terms of Maori economic development, health, education and housing."

The seven Labour Maori MPs have the task of selling the proposals around the country, and some are clearly less happy than others about doing that.

Mr Okeroa emphasised the importance of consultation.

"This arrangement is only a proposal...it incorporates four principles essentially and we are looking forward to the response from iwi," he said

Mr Okeroa would not disclose his personal view of the proposals.

Asked whether he was happy with them, he said he was being asked an unfair question.

The MP who is obviously the least happy with them is Tariana Turia, who usually holds the most extreme view within the Maori caucus.

"We're not saying we're walking out of here, but what we are saying is that it's clearly an extremely defining issue," she said yesterday after the Government announced the proposals.

Associate Maori Affairs Minister John Tamihere and Labour MP Mahara Okeroa expressed cautious views.

"Certain lines have been drawn in the sand. Within that I think there's a hell of a lot that can be explored," Mr Tamihere said.

"If we can move on in an informed way we will get a better result."

He said he had never believed Maori customary rights could be turned into land titles.

"From a customary perspective, we never had title situations. We had useage rights," he said.

"I don't want to pre-empt the debate other than to say I find it very difficult to pour my customary rights into somebody else's legal and cultural system and come out of it saying they're my rights."

Mr Horomia was beside Prime Minister Helen Clark and her deputy Michael Cullen when the proposals were announced, and said he supported them.

"The Government is as committed to protecting Maori customary rights as it is to providing certainty of access to the foreshore," he said.

"These are complex issues and there are many things to consider before we can move forward."

A taste of what the Maori MPs could expect when they hit the road has been provided by Mana Motuhake leader Willie Jackson.

"Our people are very clear in terms of ownership," the former Alliance MP said.

"They want Maori to be given ownership of the foreshores and that is the question that Maori MPs have to grapple with.

"The other question is what sort of input have the Maori MPs had in this process. What we've heard is they have had very little, and that's a little bit sad."

- NZPA