Farmers talking compo over foreshore claims

By AUDREY YOUNG

Hundreds of farmers could lose land under the Government's proposal to declare the foreshore in the public domain, says Federated Farmers, and compensation may have to be considered.

"The Government has said that the proposal is intended to introduce certainty for foreshore users," said president Tom Lambie.

"But it is has had the exact opposite effect for many farmers.

"Hundreds of farmers are learning that the Government's foreshore and seabed proposals could result in their losing many hectares of land."

The numbers affected were unknown, but four groups of landowners had titles covering the foreshore:

Titles acquired before 1860.

Titles specifically reaching to the low water mark.

Titles reaching to the mean high water mark (as opposed to the 'high water spring mark', which is higher up the beach).

Titles that extend over the seabed as a result of erosion.

The Government's proposals were prompted by a Court of Appeal decision in June allowing a group of tribes to pursue a claim in the Maori Land Court for customary title over the foreshore and seabed.

The proposals have been rejected by Maori at consultative hui.

A policy analyst for the organisation, Richard Gardner, said any declaration of the foreshore and seabed being in the public domain either had to exempt foreshore and seabed already held under private title or had to include compensation for the property right being removed.

"We see the rights are aligned," Gardner said.

"The property rights farmers or anybody have with coastal land are aligned with the customary rights Maori may or may not have in the foreshore and seabed basically."

Submissions on the proposals close this Friday, and Federated Farmers is preparing a submission.

The organisation is also holding meetings in Franklin tomorrow and Rodney on on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Act leader Richard Prebble told a party regional conference in Christchurch at the weekend that the Government should have left the case to work through the courts.

The claim would have failed and the issue would have faded away.