Government bid to stem Maori backlash

By RUTH BERRY political reporter

A nervous Government yesterday tried to placate Maori, insisting its new foreshore and seabed policy was an effort in nation-building.

It was bracing itself for a Maori backlash - and it came.

Opposition parties said the proposal was a bureaucratic nightmare.

But the Government said it had balanced a wide range of interests and produced a workable solution.

It has worked intensively behind the scenes to keep some iwi leaders on side, and hopes those discussions and promises to keep the door open will limit Maori dissatisfaction.

But it appeared apprehensive yesterday, concerned the anger might be difficult to dampen, and still unable to promise it had the votes of all of its Maori MPs.

Prime Minister Helen Clark urged people to consider the policy carefully before rushing to make judgments.

"It is a sophisticated proposal which I believe will enable us to maintain our relative harmony as a nation."

Deputy Prime Minister Michael Cullen said some of the negative iwi reaction was based on misunderstandings about what the Court of Appeal had said.

The proposal offered strong recognition of customary rights and increased participation in decision-making, and included some commercial development opportunities.

Financial redress would be available if the Maori Land Court found customary rights were such that, except for the proposal, would have led to the granting of a private title.

But many iwi leaders said the proposal offered Maori nothing, and repeated claims of modern-day confiscations.

Matiu Rei, chairman of the iwi representative group Te Ope Mana a Tai which has been meeting the Government said the proposal was worse than expected.

It was silent on commercial opportunities, suggesting there were none.

Development rights, which would enable iwi to harvest a new resource discovered in an area they had title over had been explicitly ruled out.

Hauraki spokesman John McEnteer said the customary rights title was "an empty shell".

The head of Maori Studies at Auckland University and Ngati Kahu runanga chairwoman, Professor Margaret Mutu, said Maori were wondering what they had done to deserve the "punishment" the policy inflicted on them.

"It strips Maori of a property right we've had for 1000 years," she said.

But Ngati Porou leader Api Mahuika said he believed the Government understood his tribe's position.

Government explanations over commercial development rights yesterday suggested they provide few opportunities.

But the almost total lack of reference to them in the proposal suggests they could yet be subject to negotiation.

Under the thinking so far, if a hapu has made use of five trucks of sand, it can continue to do what it wishes with the sand, including selling it.

But it can only exploit the amount it has made use of - five trucks, not 5000.

Title-holders could gain some indirect commercial benefits by setting aside a customary right to allow a development to proceed in exchange for some type of joint venture arrangement.

Maori Affairs Minister Parekura Horomia said the proposals were heading in the right direction.

The Maori MPs had planned to issue a joint statement, but did not after appearing to have been unable to agree on what it would say.

Many iwi leaders are meeting in Wellington today to consider their next step.