Wrangling continues over seashore rights

By KEVIN TAYLOR political reporter

The Government says details of proposals clarifying Maori rights to the seabed and foreshore are due within weeks and iwi, hapu and other groups will be consulted before legislation is introduced.

After a meeting yesterday of the caucus committee studying the issue, Finance Minister Michael Cullen said talks within Labour would be followed by discussions with outside groups before legislation was introduced.

A weekend hui in Paeroa warned Maori MPs not to cave in on the issue.

A declaration of principles drawn up at the hui on behalf of the "hapu and iwi of Aotearoa" directed all Maori MPs to oppose any legislation extinguishing or redefining Maori customary title or rights.

The Government said last month that it would legislate to clarify the law after the Court of Appeal ruled Te Tau Ihu (Top of the South iwi) could take a case to the Maori Land Court claiming customary title to the Marlborough Sounds foreshore and seabed.

Yesterday Dr Cullen said that the Government's proposal was still being developed but should be ready within weeks to take to iwi, hapu and others groups for discussion.

"You will be able to go, probably to the Maori Land Court, to establish what your customary rights are," he said.

Dr Cullen said yesterday's meeting of Labour's Maori MPs and ministers had resulted in a huge amount of progress around common understandings, which he would not detail.

"But common understandings, I think, will assist us in achieving the objectives - which are to ensure that we've got a clear way of establishing what Maori customary rights are and alongside that reinforcing the fact that there is access for all.

"I'm very confident we will come up with a proposal which will achieve that joint objective," Dr Cullen said.

"We are not going to go around abolishing customary rights which are recognised by the Court of Appeal.

"We are not about abolishing every New Zealander's right to go down to the beach."

Maori Affairs Minister Parekura Horomia said earlier that he would not be told how to vote on the issue.

Asked if he would vote the way Maori wanted him to, he said: "People who know me know that I consider things well. I'm not looking for wiggle room and I won't be pushed into corners ... "

Meanwhile Labour's ally, United Future, accused the Government of "waffling, delaying and doing things in secret".

Leader Peter Dunne said the Government must stop "fluffing about".

"Their dithering on this issue is a disgraceful exhibition of Labour desperately casting about looking to retain Maori votes, rather than as a government acting swiftly, openly and clearly in the interests of all New Zealanders."

National Party leader Bill English said the vacuum being left by the Government's indecisiveness was being filled by radicals but Labour needed to know the radicals were a minority.

"Kiwis deserve certainty, but they're not getting it because the Government is at sixes and sevens over what to do."