Heatley Phil: General Debates 
Heatley Phil: General Debates 
[Volume:610;Page:7242] 
PHIL HEATLEY (NZ National—Whangarei) 
: 
 We have had 10000 New Zealanders visit our website on the beach issue. They are appalled that Margaret Wilson and Helen Clark are selling the beaches down the road and they do not like the idea of Margaret Wilson and Helen Clark selling the beaches down the road. 
Darren Hughes 
: If you’re going to exaggerate say a million. 
PHIL HEATLEY 
: Darren Hughes might pipe up. I would like members to know that of the 10000 people who have visited our website 2000 came from Otaki. They said they would like to object to Helen Clark and Margaret Wilson selling the beaches down the road. Do members know what those people’s question was? They wanted to know who their local MP was because they wanted to write to “her”. I said that it was Hughes and they said: “Mrs Hughes? What’s her first name? We want to write to her.” Two thousand New Zealanders from Otaki do not even know who their local MP is. 
Of those replies a third talked about the stupidity of this Labour Government pandering to its voter base and selling the beaches down the road. One person said: “I can’t believe we’re even discussing this. Keep our treasures for everyone to enjoy please. Definitely all foreshore to be owned by the Crown. We are all New Zealanders and it’s time for all who live here to realise we’re not living in the past. We all have the use of our wonderful land—beaches sea to look after and pass on to our children to do the same with no segregation of race or otherwise.” 
New Zealand is very very upset about this issue. New Zealanders know that this Labour Government is all at sea over it. About 3 weeks ago New Zealanders saw Margaret Wilson and Helen Clark say that they would legislate to secure what everyone has always known to be true which is that the beaches and the seabed belong to all New Zealanders. In fact in our local paper the  
Northern Advocate 
 Margaret Wilson said: “The Crown is going to clarify this. In fact the seabed and foreshore is owned by all New Zealanders in the form of the Crown.” She said: “Everybody has always believed that that situation already existed.” 
That is what Margaret Wilson said 3 or 4 weeks ago. That is what Helen Clark said 3 or 4 weeks ago but they have done nothing in that month except to have hui and meetings and behind closed doors chat to their voter base. They have no interest in all New Zealanders Maori included visiting the beaches taking their kids out for a picnic going fishing mooring a boat or doing anything else. That concerns me; it concerns 10000 New Zealanders—2000 from Otaki who do not know who their local MP is—and I bring that information to the House today. 
Do members know what Maori are saying about this issue? Maori are saying for example: “I am a Ngapuhi descendant but a New Zealander first and foremost. All New Zealanders should have equal rights regardless of race if we are ever going to achieve one unified country.” Another response to our website was: “I am a Maori a Kiwi and proud of it but this is just insane. What next do these radicals want to take ownership of—the air from me and all my fellow Kiwis the air that we breathe? We play sport together” this New Zealander said “so we should share the beaches together.”