Peters Winston: General Debate 
Peters Winston: General Debate 
[Volume:621;Page:16808] 
Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS (Leader—NZ First) 
: 
 Today I have good news and bad news about the foreshore and seabed. The good news is that the 99 percent of New Zealanders who will go to the beach this summer can be safe and secure in the knowledge that they own it and will own it forever. The bad news is for the doom merchants and mischief-makers the alarmists and extremists and the unhappy band of the bemused and bewildered to my right and to my left. It does not matter whether people are going to the beach for a barbeque or a boil-up for sausages and eggs or pork and puha the Crown will own the foreshore on their behalf for ever and ever. This was an issue that should have united Parliament to act in the interests of all New Zealanders. It was a chance for MPs to show the people who elected them that they could put aside their prejudices and act in the common good. Is that really too much to have asked for or hoped for? As members know New Zealand First has an enviable record for fixing things and this foreshore and seabed issue is going to be fixed—and fixed next week. Can we fix it? 
Hon Members 
: Yes we can! 
Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS 
: That is what we are going to do—all next week. The beach will not cannot and will never be sold to a bunch of foreigners—full stop! Port companies will certainly get security and certainty of tenure. We are confident that they will be happy with the outcome we have secured for them. 
Customary rights will be protected. Maori have nothing to fear and anyone who says otherwise is simply making mischief. The only people who will miss out will be the stirrers and the radicals and the shroud-wavers and prejudice pedlars in the National Party and ACT. National has apparently agreed with the concept of customary rights. Its minority report says so. National agrees with the concept of customary rights but in its case it will be more like its last rites. This is just another signal another piece of evidence of National’s weak and confused leadership. 
 There was a time when the National Party used to act in the national interest. Now it is little more than a puppet for the interest groups that prop it up and it cannot even do that very well. For the past few weeks and months we have been subjected to the wildest nonsense about the foreshore and seabed—nonsense peddled by people with a vested interest. It is time to set the record straight. It is time for some straight talking and for some common sense. Watch my lips: New Zealanders will own the foreshore and seabed for ever and ever and there will be free access for everyone. 
While others tried to make political gain out of this issue we worked towards a constructive approach and one law for all. Those who have played politics at the current stage and all stages of the Foreshore and Seabed Bill including the select committee have lost the chance to act in the interests of all New Zealanders. There have been no special deals. There is one law for everybody. Some talk and some act. 
Today we celebrate and commemorate the return of a soldier who died in Europe 88 years ago. All such soldiers gave their lives or fought for one country and one law for everybody whether they were Maori or European in both of those wars. I cannot imagine anyone at the Battle of Monte Cassino thinking that as a Maori he was somehow fighting for exclusive rights for his people back in New Zealand. They never thought that way then and we in New Zealand First do not think that way now. I am proud to announce that what we in New Zealand First set out to do with this legislation was fix it up correct it and make sure it became the law of this country.