Govt to Prove Ownership of Foreshore – MANA Party

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“Ngati Kahu seem to be always in the news these days, what with their refusal to play ball with government’s rip-off treaty settlement process, and Chris Finlayson trying to blackmail them into getting back into line or have their mandate pulled, but their Marine and Coastal Areas settlement proposal just got a big plug at the MANA AGM” said MANA Leader Hone Harawira.

“Government is running a racist MACA deal where the legislation says government owns the foreshore and seabed and Maori have to prove otherwise, which is straight bullshit of course. The foreshore and seabed was always here, and so were Maori, before Pakeha came and before the string of thieving settler governments we had leading up to the current bunch of crooks on the treasury benches”

“Any respectable legal body outside of this country will tell you that the foreshore and seabed belongs to the first people of the land, in this case Maori”

“Ngati Kahu have simply decided to take that approach and turn government’s racism on its head by declaring the simple truth that Ngati Kahu are the rightful owners of the foreshore and seabed in Ngati Kahu territory and that the Crown has the responsibility of proving otherwise”

“MANA has passed a resolution backing Ngati Kahu’s position and affirming it as the right and proper position to be taken in respect of all lands, forests, fisheries and other treasures that Maori had sovereignty over at the time of the signing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi”

“We wish Ngati Kahu well in their continued stand against the tyranny of the state and in their fight for justice for their forebears and their descendants.