ACT Rejects Turia's 'Race Card' Claims

ACT New Zealand Maori Affairs Spokesman David Garrett today rejected Maori Party Co-leader Tariana Turia's claims that ACT is 'playing the race card' 'to 'create division and win votes' by drawing attention to the folly of National's plans for the Foreshore and Seabed.

"As Mrs Turia well knows, ACT opposed Labour's Foreshore and Seabed Act, which took away the rights of Maori to go to court to claim customary title, and instead vested ownership in the hands of the Crown," Mr Garrett said.

"ACT has always believed that the Foreshore and Seabed Act should be repealed and that the Court of Appeal decision in Ngati Apa - which allowed Maori to go to court and seek customary title - should stand.  Our position has not changed. 

"What ACT does not agree with is National's move to repeal Labour's Foreshore & Seabed Act and replace it with a new law that proposes that the Government, in the form of the Attorney General, can decide whether iwi should be allowed customary title or not.

"This is of grave concern as it is not a fair and transparent process, and can be manipulated by successive governments to further their own political advantage.

"Contrary to Mrs Turia's statement, ACT does believe in property rights and we do believe that Maori should be allowed their day in court.  If it is found by the courts that Maori have customary title over an area of land, ACT is in complete support of that.

"What ACT does not - and never will - agree with is the National Government creating legislation which will allow secret backroom deals to be done away from public scrutiny," Mr Garrett said.
 
ENDS