Govt not rushing to make Foreshore and Seabed changes

The prime minister says the government will repeal the Foreshore and Seabed legislation but it will not be rushed.

Mr Key told this afternoon's post-Cabinet news conference that it's important first to work out what to replace it with and that process could take months.

Mr Key said Cabinet had some discussion about it today but he wanted a wide discussion on this across all political parties.

The debate now was not about whether it should be repealed but what the replacement looked like so that it was one that sat well with all New Zealanders, he said.

Mr Key said the Maori party leaders understood where the discussion was going and were present at today's discussion.

The controversial Act followed a 2003 Court of Appeal ruling in the Ngati Apa case that made it possible, in some instances, for Maori customary title to convert into freehold title.

That raised the possibility of parts of the foreshore and seabed coming under Maori control, and fears that public access to beaches could be restricted.

The previous government was not prepared to accept that position and legislated against the ruling, causing widespread unrest among Maori and the resignation from the Labour Party of Mrs Turia, who went on to form the Maori Party.

The National government appointed a panel to review the Act. It recommended its repeal and said interim legislation should be put in place until the politicians worked out a way to recognise Maori rights to coastal areas.

- NZ HERALD STAFF