The Independent this morning points out an interesting consequence of Gordon Copeland's defection and decision to vest a free proxy on legislative matters with National: it means that National (with the Greens, Maori Party and ACT) now have the numbers to repeal the Foreshore and Seabed Act. While they previously took a stance against repeal (unsurprising given their reason for opposing the bill was that it gave too much to Maori), the ability to utterly humiliate the government in a core policy area (and build bridges with the Maori party) may cause them to reconsider that position. OTOH, I really wonder how it would look to National's supporters given that they raised racist hell over the merest thought that Maori might be able to have their day in court, just like anybody else.
Maybe Labour should see sense and replace the F&S Act with a right of access (as I, coincidentally, suggest this morning).
ReplyDelete"unsurprising given their reason for opposing the bill was that it gave too much to Maori"
ReplyDeleteUmm ACTs was due to property rights. Nothing whatsover with giving "too much to maori". Hence why ACT and the Maori party get together over this issue.
MikeE: That bit was aimed fairly specifically at national, not at ACT (or the Maori Party or Greens for that matter).
ReplyDeleteThanks I/S for answering the question on my mind when I read this this morning:
ReplyDeleteHow does National reconcile its Iwi/Kiwi billboards with support for Turia's bill?
(I was out of the country when this particular shit hit the fan so am not up with the play on what happened)
The real issue with repealing the forshore and Seabed Act is what to replace it with. Relating to the Foreshore and Seabed there are a number of issues involved, not only ownership of beaches, but also reclamation of land, aquaculture, undersea mining and oil/gas extraction.
ReplyDeleteActually what the article overlooks is the fact that National's caucus resolved in February that it would not support the Bill. This decision has not been revisited, nor has there been any discussion between National and the Maori Party on the issue since.
ReplyDeleteSorry, just reread the article and that caucus decision is referred to. My bad. However what I said about National and the Maori party on the issue still stands
ReplyDeleteSince the F&S Act was passed, most National people seem to have come to accept that it was an outrageous attack on due process and (any residual) property rights. They see that if the Labour Government was prepared to do that to some of their own core supporters, farmers, forest owners, home owners and anyone else could be next. There is now will within National to see the issue returned to the courts, but this is being held as a bargaining chip for confidence and supply negotiations with the Maori Party after the election. This isn't very principled, but it is a big change in the National grassroots since Brash was deposed.
ReplyDelete