Iwi stand up to Cullen's muckrakers dig

By RUTH BERRY political reporter

Deputy Prime Minister Michael Cullen yesterday lashed out at a group of iwi representatives, accusing them of spreading false information and trying to wind up people ahead of next week's foreshore and seabed announcement.

But the group, Te Ope Mana a Tai, is rejecting Dr Cullen's claims, saying the Government has constantly changed its mind on the issue and is now trying to discredit the group because it will not support it.

Dr Cullen's wrath was particularly directed at Te Ope Mana a Tai member and Auckland University Professor Margaret Mutu.

Professor Mutu said on Monday the group, which has been meeting with the Government, appeared to be in agreement with Dr Cullen two weeks ago.

But he had later told the group Cabinet colleagues railroaded him when they knocked back a paper he had taken to them on the issue, she said.

Dr Cullen said Professor Mutu's comments were "utterly deplorable".

She had given "a completely inaccurate, incorrect and indeed falsified version of some of the events that occurred to wind people up".

" I agreed to take to Cabinet what Te Ope Mana a Tai had been proposing. Cabinet ministers decided they needed a clear response on some issues so that Te Ope Mana a Tai were not under any illusions."

Dr Cullen said it had always been clear there were irreconcilable differences on some issues with the group, including the fact they "asserted all the foreshore and seabed are owned by Maori now and they also have exclusive development rights arising out of that ownership."

Professor Mutu stood by her claims yesterday, saying she was taking notes in the meeting and wondered why Dr Cullen had refused to be specific about what she got wrong.

"Why does a minister take something to Cabinet that they don't support? It just doesn't make sense. He's just trying to discredit us."

Te Ope Mana a Tai chairman Matiu Rei said a "blockage" in the talks had evolved with some ministers and officials failing to understand issues being raised with them, further complicating things.

Dr Cullen's assertion the group said Maori wanted exclusive ownership and development rights to foreshore and seabed was wrong.

National MP Georgina te Heuheu said Te Ope Mana a Tai clearly felt "pushed up against a wall".

"It seems to me they are genuinely concerned that the rights they believe they have got are going to be whittled down."

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters said yesterday his party would not sit on the special select committee being set up to examine the foreshore and seabed and Maori fisheries legislation.

The Government had set up the special committee to "obfuscate the real issues of control and ownership of marine resources".