Cullen says National Party winding up 'racial hatred'

3.00pm

Deputy Prime Minister Michael Cullen has accused National's leader Bill English of "winding up race hatred" over the foreshore and seabed issue.

Dr Cullen, who heads a ministerial group which is working on a solution, said the National Party's attitude to the complex problem was irresponsible and immature.

He told reporters the Government was very close to reaching a position it could take to the public, and consult with interested parties.

"It requires a bit more intelligence than Mr English is prepared to devote to the matter," he said.

"He's just winding up race hatred, we're interested in winding up a solution that will suit all New Zealanders in the long term, and that's a much more grown up job."

The Government says it wants to find a legislative framework that protects Maori rights and at the same time ensures public access to beaches and the seabed.

National says that is not good enough and has launched a petition demanding that the Government legislate to ensure exclusive Crown ownership.

Dr Cullen said Mr English was saying "very, very clearly indeed" that the Government should abolish any form of Maori customary rights.

"He's clearly playing the race card on this issue, rather than trying to achieve a solution which is in the interests of all New Zealanders," he said.

The Government has so far been negotiating with Maori MPs but Dr Cullen said iwi and others were not being left out.

"We will want to consult not just with iwi and hapu representatives, we want to consult with local government, recreational fishers, recreational groups...all New Zealanders have an interest in this and all those legitimate interests have to be satisfied," he said.

"We're never going to satisfy those Maori - very few in number - who believe that they own all the country and the rest of us are really guests here.

"And we're not going to satisfy, on the other hand, those pakeha who believe that we should just legislate to abolish any prospect of any form of Maori customary rights."

Mr English said he strongly rejected Dr Cullen's "unsubstantiated accusations".

"It's ridiculous, all the National Party is doing is holding the Government to account for the promises it made over the beaches and seabed issue six weeks ago," he said.

"If we are guilty of anything, it is trying to make the Government deliver on its promises."

Mr English said Dr Cullen was, by association, accusing all the people who had signed National's petition.

Another petition has been launched over concerns about the ownership of the foreshore and seabed.

Public Access New Zealand (PANZ) has launched its Beaches for Recreation Petition asking that law be passed to ensure the foreshore and seabed remain in Crown hands, the recreational lobby group announced today.

Petition organiser Bruce Mason said that official mishandling of the issue had the potential to be a Government-breaker.

"The depth of public feeling is phenomenal. This threat to New Zealanders' most popular outdoor recreation setting strikes at the heart of personal liberties," he said in a statement.

The National Party recently started a petition on the issue after a Court of Appeal ruling last month which allowed the Maori Land Court to hear claims for customary title.

The Government is working on a solution after concerns the ruling could lead to exclusive title and ownership, meaning successful iwi claimants could sell the land or restrict access.

Mr Mason said the Government needed to legislate to solve the problem. He said Crown ownership of the foreshore and seabed was the only way to ensure equal access.

PANZ had decided to launch its own petition as it felt the issue would be better advanced independently of political agendas.

"Unfortunately, the National Party petition is deficient in that it does not state an intention to pass legislation that guarantees Crown ownership or to create statutory rights of recreation. The PANZ petition seeks to rectify this.

"This campaign is about public ownership and recreation for all New Zealanders," Mr Mason said.




- NZPA