Greens Welcome Labour U-turn on Foreshore

The Green Party today welcomed Labour’s announcement yesterday of a U-turn on their Foreshore and Seabed Act.

“It is great to see that Labour have taken up the Greens policy of amending Te Ture Whenua Maori Act so that customary title in the foreshore and seabed cannot be sold,” said Green Party Maori Affairs Spokesperson Metiria Turei.

The major concern with the Ngati Apa Court of Appeal decision was that Maori customary land could be turned into Maori freehold land and therefore could be sold.

The Greens have always argued the best way to prevent the sale of foreshore and seabed is to prevent the Maori Land Court from being able to turn customary land into freehold land. This solution was rejected by Labour in 2004.

“It was also good to hear John Key’s comments at the Treaty Settlements Hui yesterday that they are open to considering an approach based on amending Te Ture Whenua. Hopefully this signals both Labour and National are moving away from their traditional support for stripping Maori of their customary rights in the foreshore and seabed.”

The Green Party have already developed a member’s bill that would amend Te Ture Whenua and repeal the Foreshore and Seabed Act, and will be providing this potential solution as part of their submission to the Foreshore and Seabed review panel.

The key provisions of the member’s bill are outlined below:
132A Status of certain Maori customary land not changed by vesting order
“Despite section 132, the Maori Land Court shall not have jurisdiction to change the status of Maori customary land that is foreshore and seabed, or lake, stream, river or creek bed, into Maori freehold land by a vesting order issued under that section.”

135A Status of certain Maori customary land not changed by status order
“Despite section 135, the Maori Land Court shall not have jurisdiction to change the status of Maori customary land that is foreshore and seabed, or lake, stream, river or creek bed, to general land by a declaration in a status order issued under that section.”

For further information on our position please see link below to 2004 Select Committee Report on the Foreshore and Seabed Bill. The Green Party position is summarised from pg 17-22 - http://www.parliament.nz/NR/rdonlyres/21241E01-41A0-4CCC-8DAC-FBF18FB3A9E3/52419/DBSCH_SCR_2912_4814.pdf