The Government is being naive and stupid if they think the Seabed and Foreshore Bill will not cause huge problems regarding pakeha access to these areas. We hear of the illegal occupations in Northland and of others who have been denied access or been charged to park alongside beeches lakes and rivers around New Zealand. I experienced this very same thing a number of times when I lived on the East Coast years ago.
A local maori would come and collect a fee from people camped on a narrow strip of land in a popular spot where a creek entered the sea. You were kicked off if you did not pay. This narrow strip was between the creekbed entering the sea and a County Road. It would clearly have been within the Queen's Chain. It most certainly was not Maori land but the collector being a local obviously thought he could do what he liked.
We are going to see this behaviour all over New Zealand if this Bill goes through. It is going to be a case of pay up or else be kicked out by some radicals who think this country belongs solely to them. The Bill is bad news and the National Government is only passing it to get the Maori Vote. The other aspect of the bill we should all be weary of is it gives the Government the right to negotiate directly with the Iwi. This is unacceptable as we all know Governments make decisions they think will keep them in power rather than represent the views of their voters.
Margaret Hills , Tauranga.