Cullen Michael: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members 
Cullen Michael: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members 
[Volume:653;Page:2146] 
12.  
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN (Labour) 
 to the  
Minister of Maori Affairs 
: What advice if any has he received from his officials at Te Puni Kokiri on comments made by the Hon Pita Sharples Co-leader of the Maori Party that if the review of the Foreshore and Seabed Act found no changes were needed “we’ll probably sack them and put another group in”; and did such advice go to the issue of whether the co-leader of a political party has authority to sack the review board? 
Hon Dr PITA SHARPLES (Minister of Maori Affairs) 
: 
 Tena koe Mr Speaker. None as I have said before in the House. Te Puni Kokiri did not provide me with any advice on what should be done if the review panel recommended that no changes were needed. 
Hon Dr Michael Cullen 
: Does the Minister accept in his ministerial role that the only people who could possibly sack a review board were Ministers; if so does he accept that when he made that statement he must have said it in his ministerial role and that if he was not acting in his ministerial role he was simply uttering empty words with no meaning? 
Hon Dr PITA SHARPLES 
: I accept that if anyone was to sack a panel it would be the Minister. But it was said as a joke and everybody there laughed. I am amazed that the member cannot see the humour in it. 
Hon Christopher Finlayson 
: What involvement has the Minister had in the Foreshore and Seabed Act review and how has he enjoyed working with the Attorney-General? 
Hon Dr Michael Cullen 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. Following on from the previous answer I take it that the last part of that question was a joke. 
Hon Dr PITA SHARPLES 
: My answer is not a joke. As Minister I have had input into the development of the terms of reference of the review and into the selection of the review panel and my ministry is involved in providing support for the panel’s secretariat. I look forward to working with my ministerial colleagues to respond to the report of the independent review panel in due course. It is my hope that following the review iwi and hapu mana whenua of the foreshore and seabed will be appropriately recognised. 
Hon Dr Michael Cullen 
: In his close and intimate working relationship with the Attorney-General has he raised the question of maintaining statutory protection of public rights of access and navigation and statutory protection of the codification of common law rules around customary rights? 
Hon Dr PITA SHARPLES 
: In all my dealings with and conversations about the Act the protection of public access to the foreshore and seabed has been paramount. 
Te Ururoa Flavell 
: Tena koe Mr Speaker. Kia ora tatou katoa. Will the Minister support the review panel’s report? 
Hon Dr PITA SHARPLES 
: I support the process established for the review of the Foreshore and Seabed Act and the independent panel that has been appointed to conduct the review. The independent panel will consult widely with Maori as part of its review process. The findings and the recommendations of the review will be fully considered by the Government. 
Hon Dr Michael Cullen 
: Has the Minister received an assurance from the Attorney-General that the Government will support the outcome of the review whatever it may be just as he has stated that he will support the outcome of the review whatever it may be? 
Hon Dr PITA SHARPLES 
: I repeat what I said. When the review is over the Government will consider its findings. Kia ora. 
Te Ururoa Flavell 
: Has the Minister been advised of any statements made by members of Parliament about what should happen if the review of the Foreshore and Seabed Act finds that the Act should be repealed? 
Hon Dr PITA SHARPLES 
: I have received advice that the Green Party has called the review “a step in the right direction as hopefully it will come to the sensible conclusion that this Act needs to be repealed and Maori access to the courts restored”. Its Maori affairs spokesperson Metiria Turei has gone further in calling for the National Government to respect its findings. 
Hon Dr Michael Cullen 
: In the light of that last answer is the Minister aware that the Act provides for access to the courts in terms of both territorial customary rights and specific usage rights? 
Hon Dr PITA SHARPLES 
: I am aware of that. But territorial customary rights are nothing compared with the customary rights that had been handed down generation after generation after generation that that member cut off.