Ngai Tahu are putting their waewae down and eye-balling National over the Seabed and Foreshore, Takutai Moana (call it what you will) bill.
This comment by KevinH, lifted from the often redder-than-your-average-necked Kiwiblog, expresses nicely the thoughts of Maori that I've been talking to lately:
"Maori believe that they did not cede the foreshore and seabed to the Crown in the Treaty and have retained continuous ownership of what is part of their estates.
The belief is that the Crown is stealing this asset from Maori, a raupatu or confiscation.
If you examine the Treaty in detail you will find that Maori are correct and the Crown wrong. That is why this government and previous govt’s have not declared this to the nation.
Whatever the outcome of the latest select committee hearings Maori will not back down on pursuing legal ownership of the Foreshore and seabed."
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
When the Government assumed ownership in the mid nineteeth century beaches, rivers and seas were key transport corridors. What any hapu lost in exclusive rights to their own foreshores and seabeds they gained in a share of those of the whole country. Any person gaining private rights again now should lose their share of the benefits the country as a whole gets from public ownership of seabed minerals etc.
And the crown should return all it stole and apologize?
They assumed governance. Assuming(literally) ownership was given is a common mistake that you have made.
Assumed oiwnership?
That's probably what's causimng the disquiet. Sort that out and iwi are likely to be happy to begin real discussions.
Post a Comment