Tino Rangitiratanga movement to meet MPs on seabed dispute

11.45am

Maori MPs will this evening meet Tino Rangitiratanga representatives angry at what they see as Government moves to prevent Maori owning the foreshore and seabed.

Movement spokesman Ken Mair told NZPA the Crown's position on the issue was untenable.

"(It) must not be accepted in anyway whatsoever until the Crown fully understand that the fundamental issue is about customary ownership," he said.

If Maori did not have customary ownership, but were instead granted access rights by the Crown, they would be more like tenants than owners, he said.

He said the meeting would take place at 6.30pm, on the same floor as the parliamentary office of Labour MP Tariana Turia.

Mr Mair expected cabinet ministers Parekura Horomia and John Tamihere would meet activists Annette Sykes, Moana Jackson, Tame Iti and Hone Harawira.

The Government last week said it would legislate to clarify the law after the Court of Appeal ruled there was uncertainty and Maori may have a case for claiming customary title.

Prime Minister Helen Clark said a grant of customary title could lead to sole ownership and then eventual sale, with people being denied access.

The Government has faced waves of Maori anger and claims it is going to legislate to extinguish indigenous rights.

Mr Mair said the issue was one of justice, it just happened that Maori were "once again" affected.

He agreed Maori MPs were in a difficult position, caught between those they represented and loyalty to the Government.

"They have to make some big decisions, don't they?" he said.

Government statements that it wanted to ensure unfettered access to the shoreline for all New Zealanders were misleading, Mr Mair said.

Port companies, the Department of Conservation and other authorities had for years restricted entry to the waterfront.

"It is also dishonest because it assumes that iwi would deny others normal use and enjoyment," Mr Mair said.

"That has never been the intention of iwi and the possibility that it might occur in the future is absurd.

"The Crown makes an assumption that iwi cannot uphold the rights of access and use, and therefore they are the only ones who can.

"This is clearly a racist and bigoted approach."

Iwi did not accept Maori MPs were their sole representation, he said.

"They are mandated by a crown process and not a hapu-iwi process. They are crown representatives, not hapu-iwi representatives."

The Government has said:

* it will act to uphold rights of public access to, and use of, the foreshore and seabed;

* it will act to protect Maori customary rights, to the extent they are not already;

* a group of senior ministers will discuss with the Maori caucus, which has an electoral mandate to represent Maori, how to reconcile these two interests;

* resolving these issues will require legislation.

- NZPA