BIG NEWS

Monday, November 02, 2009

Brash admits Foreshore and Seabed law was a mistake

The man who brought you the " one law for all" and the Nationhood speech [PDF] that sparked a great deal of anger has has said that he believed National got it wrong when it opposed iwi being able to test their claim to ownership of the foreshore and seabed in court.

That inability for Maori to go to court was the injustice in the Foreshore and Seabed Act. Contrary to some opinions, Maori did not have ownership rights extinguished under the Act.

The 2004 Nationhood speech led to what Shane Jones describes as "inflammatory, divisive and extremely hurtful" debate around race relations and the foreshore and seabed legislation. The Foreshore and Seabed Act was written in response to a Court of Appeal case that suggested iwi able to prove continuous customary use of the foreshore and seabed might have a claim to freehold title.The act stopped Maori seeking title through the courts. even National screamed Maori Gain Control of the Beaches.

Now, it appears the Act will be scrapped.

Brash rejected the Treaty. Therefore, any person who rejects an important part of our constitution is never fit to be a leader of a major political party in New Zealand in this day and age, as they may end up leading the country.

It was a real mistake placing Don Brash fifth on the 2002 National party list to secure his entry into parliament.
update
So what next for the Foreshore and Seabed? Read Tim Watkin from Pundit. He has some good thoughts on this.

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Scoopit!

2 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Totally agree with that dave, Maori should have been able to go to court.
That said they are not the 1st class citizens some claim from the treaty of waitangi.
we are all citizens and no one is above any other as long as we carry the kiwi passport.
the treaty is rightly in the museum.

I similarly don't accept this UN indigenous peoples crap either.
we are all equal citizens no matter when our folks got here or by what method by sea or air.
MikeNZ

November 3, 2009 at 6:51 PM  
Blogger Swimming said...

Citizenship rights in Article III of the Treaty are not about Maori - or anyone else - having rights above any other citizens. Indigenous rights, and long with that, participation rights, can be argued on the basis of equal citizenship.

November 3, 2009 at 7:01 PM  

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