Foreshore bill sparks Harawira backlash

Hone Harawira. Photo / Sarah Ivey

The return to Parliament of the new foreshore and seabed bill has reignited the acrimony between independent Maori MP Hone Harawira and his party.

Debate on the Marine and Coastal Area Bill is expected to drag out over at least two days as its opponents seek to delay its final reading until next week to give time for a protest hikoi which left Northland yesterday to reach Parliament.

Yesterday, Attorney General Chris Finlayson was dismissive of the hikoi, which numbers about 100 people - far short of the 20,000 who marched to Parliament in 2004.

"I think there are about five or 10 who have left Kaitaia, whether it gathers momentum as they march through the towns, we will wait and see."

He said the speed with which the bill passed would depend how much Labour "filibustered" to delay the bill.

Several amendments had already been tabled by the bills' opponents, Labour, Act and the Greens.

Labour leader Phil Goff said his party would ensure the bill was thoroughly debated because the Government had already rushed it through the select committee phase and ignored more than 4000 submissions opposed to it.

National was clearly trying to pass the bill "under cover of the Christchurch earthquake" while public attention was diverted elsewhere. Although there was common ground on many issues and wider consensus was within reach, he said both the Maori Party and National Party were unwilling to talk.

Speaking on the bill, Mr Harawira said he could not understand why his former colleagues were calling it a "Maori Party bill" when the party's membership was opposed to it.

Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia said she would meet the hikoi when it arrived at Parliament.

But she said the party was doing the right thing by supporting the bill, saying it met the two core promises of repealing the 2004 act and restoring access to the courts.

Mr Harawira's potency has also waned since he was effectively ruled out of future coalition governments by Labour leader Phil Goff and Prime Minister John Key.

Mr Harawira said on present polling any new party he formed could get two or three seats.

"I know that if ... that's required for me to get into Government with either Labour or National, Phil Goff will be ringing me as quickly as anybody else."

He said Mr Goff's stance was "inconsistent" as he had refused to rule out working with Mr Harawira as recently as February.

Mr Goff had also consistently refused to rule out working with NZ First leader Winston Peters, saying it was "arrogant" to do so before voters had their say.

Mr Goff said his stance on Mr Harawira was because Mr Harawira was "unreliable" and some of his more radical policies were abhorrent.

Mr Harawira said if Mr Goff believed he was unreliable, he should remember Mr Peters was sacked or stood down as a minister three times in coalition.

Although Mr Goff admitted he had not consulted his full caucus before taking his stance on Mr Harawira, part of his job was having to make such decisions.