Smith Nick: Foreshore and Seabed Bill — Second Reading Instruction to Committee In Committee 
Smith Nick: Foreshore and Seabed Bill — Second Reading Instruction to Committee In Committee 
[Volume:621;Page:16997] 
Hon Dr NICK SMITH (National—Nelson) 
: 
 Let us remind ourselves of the sort of parliamentary skulduggery that is going on this morning with Parliament under urgency and passing major legislation that will impact hugely on this nation and with that member who has spoken somehow believing that that will resolve this issue. I want to highlight the major provision included in this part—that is the creation of a new legal instrument: a foreshore and seabed reserve. On the front page of this morning’s  
New Zealand Herald 
 the Maori caucus is quoted as saying that they expect 10 percent of New Zealand will be set aside as foreshore and seabed reserves. I would be interested to know from the Minister in the chair the Hon Dr Michael Cullen whether he thinks that is a fair estimate. I ask again of the Minister in the chair: is it a fair estimate as recorded on the front page of the  
New Zealand Herald  
that 10 percent of our coast will be set aside as foreshore and seabed reserves? That is attributed to the Maori caucus. Is that correct? 
Hon Dr Michael Cullen 
: They did not say that. 
Hon Dr NICK SMITH 
: Is the expectation the report reasonable? 
Hon Dr Michael Cullen 
: They didn’t say that. 
Hon Dr NICK SMITH 
: Well do the people of New Zealand have any idea as to the proportion of our coast—our precious beaches and our precious coastline—that will be set up in the new legal instrument provided in these amendments? Does the Minister have any idea at all as to what area of New Zealand will be set aside in these new foreshore and seabed reserves? The Minister in the chair Dr Cullen shakes his head and says he has no idea. So am I to draw the conclusion that we are being asked to pass legislation that will set aside according to the Maori caucus—that is the promise he has obviously made in secret to the Maori members—10 percent of New Zealand’s coastline which is 2000 kilometres or 4 million hectares to be vested in new foreshore and seabed reserves? I heard the last Maori member who spoke say that this will not change anything. Members can bet it changes things! It changes and moves the control of 4 million hectares—2000 kilometres—from locally elected councils to a new special committee appointed exclusively by Maori. We are to expect— 
Hon Dr Michael Cullen 
: It doesn’t say that either. 
Hon Dr NICK SMITH 
: Well what does it say? 
Hon Dr Michael Cullen 
: The court directs people to go and discuss the composition of the board. Read the bill. 
Hon Dr NICK SMITH 
: Registers it with the court! Parliament does not get a say. It is to be registered by the Minister. This is a Trojan Horse for transferring the say— 
Hon Dr Michael Cullen 
: No wrong again. 
Hon Dr NICK SMITH 
: Would the Minister like to take a call? 
The CHAIRPERSON (H V Ross Robertson) 
: I say to the Minister that it is generally accepted that when Ministers are in the chair they do not use the live microphone. 
Hon Dr NICK SMITH 
: The Minister cannot expect to table legislation on this very day introduce a whole new concept of foreshore and seabed reserves and say that the Government is not allowed to answer any questions and that it cannot tell us how much the area is. If we take the equivalent marine reserves were first introduced in 1974. They make up only 0.3 percent not 10 percent as the Maori caucus says the figure will be. Those marine reserves have been debated over years and years and years. They were first introduced in 1974 and they have been debated extensively yet the Minister in the chair thinks it is kosher to introduce a new concept of foreshore and seabed reserves today and pass it all in 1 parliamentary day. Dover Samuels said that it would not make any difference to families wanting to go down to the beach and have a barbecue. Well yes it does and I will tell members why. In relation to the 10 percent that his Maori caucus claims will now be foreshore and seabed reserves it will be for the management committee to decide who will be able to have a barbecue and where.  
Hon Dr Michael Cullen 
: No that’s nonsense. 
Hon Dr NICK SMITH 
: It is true. Can the Minister in the chair explain why it is that the management committee of the foreshore and seabed reserves will be guardians. The guardians will be able to have those controls. 
Stephen Franks 
: If they can’t why are they guardians? 
Hon Dr NICK SMITH 
: Exactly. As my colleague Stephen Franks says if the guardians who are going to manage 10 percent of our foreshore and seabed cannot decide whether a barbecue is allowed or whether there will be a gate or boat access what the heck are the guardians? Is it just a big fraud on Maoridom? I suggest that it is not that it is real. It is a Trojan Horse for taking control away from councils and passing it over to these guardians.