Turei Metiria: Foreshore and Seabed Bill — In Committee Procedure 
Turei Metiria: Foreshore and Seabed Bill — In Committee Procedure 
[Volume:621;Page:17153] 
METIRIA TUREI (Green) 
: 
 The title of the bill is very bland and boring. It does not actually tell us what this bill does at all. Over the last day or so it has been very clearly outlined that this bill is about taking. It is about stealing. It has nothing to do with public access. We have seen that because public access rights are taken away by this bill. It has nothing to do with the protection of the foreshore and seabed from sale. Because of this legislation freehold titles are still able to be issued for a period. New Zealand First’s refusal to support my entrenchment clause has meant that it will remain an option to continue to sell the foreshore and seabed to foreign ownership. It is not committed to keeping New Zealand land in New Zealand hands let alone Maori land in Maori hands.  
The Minister of Maori Affairs stood in this House and blamed Maori for the loss of their own lands. He stood here and said that it is Maori’s fault that they do not have their land any more. He has denied the history of confiscation in this country denied the history of legislation that has come out of this House—from which this bill is a direct descendant—and blamed us for the land that was stolen from us. Let us call this bill the “Government Says ‘We Are The Champions’ Bill” because it has won. It has taken away from citizens of this country the right to go to court. Every person in this country must realise that this is the first step to the abolition of his or her civil rights. Is this what this country wants—a Government that will take away the right of its citizens to go to court because it does not like the outcome of the court decision? Is that what this country wants? No it is not.  
How about we call the bill the “Ha Ha You Lose We Win Bill?”. Again it is not about protecting public rights but about taking land because the Government wants complete control of the resources. How about calling it the “Tough Titty You Maoris Bill”? Maori will lose and lose under this. Nothing in this bill will give them anything. The customary rights orders have been so tightened that they will virtually be impossible to get. Only two or three iwi in the whole country will be able to get a territorial customary rights order because New Zealand First has put in place provisions that will make it impossible for them to get. [ 
Interruption 
]  
The CHAIRPERSON (Hon Clem Simich) 
: The Minister has had his say. Please allow Metiria Turei to have hers. 
METIRIA TUREI 
: The rhetoric contained in the bill is a disgrace. As parliamentarians and lawmakers we need to be committed to making good law that actually means something. This whole House knows that the provisions that New Zealand First has put in about going to the High Court for various interested groups mean nothing. It is a deception. It will cheat New Zealanders because they will believe that they have a right in law that in fact they do not have. They will waste their money trying to see those rights achieved in law. They will discover that their efforts have been purposeless and worthless because New Zealand First wants to make a symbolic point that will render New Zealanders without rights. Is that the kind of law that we as parliamentarians want to enact? Is that the kind of law that New Zealanders want to see on their law books? No it is not.  
New Zealanders are crying out for just laws that restore justice in our country protect the rights of all citizens protect the rights to keep New Zealand land in New Zealand hands and protect the rights of Maori to go to the courts just like every other citizen. Yet very shortly this morning the House will pass a law that will strip away those rights. This Parliament will be in disgrace if we continue to proceed with this bill. But at this moment we are still in a position not to proceed with it. We can take another course. Right now thousands of New Zealanders are out there asking us to do something else—put this on hold and take another path. An unjust law is not in their best interests. They do not want to see the divisiveness that this legislation will permeate through their community.