I am concerned for the future of generations of my family and all NZers who have called this country home for nearly 200 years and who now, with government connivance. could watch the land, seabed, foreshore fought over by hapu and iwi for property and development rights and governance over everyone else.
We too are people of the land and can appreciate the 2004 Foreshore and Seabed Act which preserves the land in Crown ownership as the heritage of all New Zealanders in perpetuity. The legislation also protects Maori and cannot be considered racial. Indeed, when Labour first formulated the legislation, the National Party said that it gave too many rights to Maori over other New Zealanders. What a turnaround.
Indigenous people are people originating naturally in a region and Maori are not indigenous having arrived in NZ in the 1300s. Other non-indigenous peoples who also call this country home arrived in the 1800s and now see our heritage further threatened. Tu Hoe intimated in a recent TV show that when the Ureweras are returned to them the public funded road will probably be tolled.
This is control beyond belief and certainly beyond the purse strings of the taxpayer who have already subsidised millions in treaty settlements and seen common land ownership in national parks, rivers and beach access disappear to one group of NZers. Already coastal developments are being held up by various iwi at a huge cost but the new legislation provides that every RMA application on a Customary Marine Title is subject to their approval and there is no right of appeal or objection. Certain mineral royalties would be no longer belong to the Crown and all people.
Please take the time to read this controversial Bill.
We cannot afford this legislation in economic or humanitarian terms. It is not worth it for the NZ family – we are one people.
RE Stephens, Mt Maunganui.