PM wants to work with Labour on seabed law

Phil Goff's team will today discuss the foreshore speech which appeared to scupper hopes of negotiation. Photo / Greg Bowker

Prime Minister John Key has left the door open for Labour to work with the Government on a solution to the problematic foreshore and seabed law, despite Phil Goff's controversial nationhood speech creating confusion about the party's position.

Mr Key yesterday said he believed there was a better answer to the issue than the current law "and by the way that was Labour's view until a couple of weeks ago as well".

Mr Key was referring to Mr Goff's speech last month, where he effectively changed Labour's position on the law, saying it was working well the way it was now, and repeal would make "wounds fester".

National and the Maori Party have indicated they will repeal the law.

Mr Key said there was a way through the foreshore and seabed problems "which is far more elegant and will be acceptable to New Zealanders but if Labour don't want to be part of it - so be it".

Mr Key said details of the possible solution would not be made public until the New Year.

Although Labour has never favoured repeal, it initially proposed some amendments and said it would work with the Government on the issue.

But in his speech, Mr Goff appeared to abandon that position, claiming the law was working well and repealing the act appeared to be a "cynical move" to create the perception of change.

Mr Goff's speech led to accusations that he was playing the race card and left some in the party uncomfortable.

Mr Goff will discuss it with MPs at today's caucus meeting.

He told Radio New Zealand yesterday that the concerns about the speech were about the media reporting of it.

In Monday's Herald, Labour Party president Andrew Little said he had some personal concerns about the speech.

He refused to specify them but indicated there were issues about how it had been received by Maori.

"The party has got to be conscious of its Maori membership and its appeal to the Maori constituency generally," Mr Little said.

Yesterday, he clarified his position, saying he was supportive of the speech.

He said Mr Goff briefed him on its contents before he gave it to Palmerston North Grey Power and they specifically discussed the criticism of the National-Maori Party deal over the Emissions Trading Scheme and the foreshore and seabed issue.

"Phil has correctly raised this issue for discussion and debate and he would be negligent as leader of a major party and as leader of the Opposition if he did not lead the debate on these issues," Mr Little said.

Mr Goff discussed the speech with senior Maori MPs Parekura Horomia and Shane Jones before delivering it and both had spoken in support of him after he delivered it.

Yesterday Mr Horomia said no other Labour members had told him they were concerned about the speech. It had not been raised with him at public events he attended.

Asked if he had concerns himself, he said: "I'm more than certain at the end of the day that speeches can be better prepared and that's something we've got to talk through at the caucus tomorrow. I intend to make my views heard there."

Yesterday, Maori Labour MP Kelvin Davis, said he had not faced any flak over the speech, but people had questioned him on it.

He said comparisons to Don Brash's 2005 Orewa speech were "ridiculous".

"I don't like the way it's been drummed up to compare with Brash's speech. I think calling it 'nationhood' was probably a bit silly. You can't help but draw comparisons then, but I think this is about being brave enough to have a discussion about these issues and not shying away from it, so I think good on Phil."

The foreshore and seabed is a sensitive topic for Labour Maori MPs who had to ride through a maelstrom of criticism from Maori over the Labour Party's 2004 legislation.

Shane Jones was questioned about the speech at a hui on the Auckland Super City Maori board and asked whether Labour supported the restoration of customary title.

Sources told the Herald Mita Ririnui had concerns about the potential attack line the speech gave to the Maori Party against Labour Maori MPs. Mr Ririnui did not return calls.