An open letter to the Governor-General signed by 10,000 people was delivered today, urging her to withhold Royal Assent from the Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) (Customary Marine Title) Amendment Bill.
The letter, delivered by Te Pāti Māori, calls on the Governor-General to “protect the constitution of Aotearoa and uphold the mana and tino rangatiratanga of your Te Tiriti o Waitangi partners, Te Iwi Māori.”
“Te Tiriti o Waitangi underpins kāwanatanga in Aotearoa. As Governor-General, you carry a constitutional duty to withhold Royal Assent when legislation flagrantly breaches Te Tiriti and threatens irreparable constitutional damage.”
“Te Iwi Māori has never breached Te Tiriti o Waitangi. We have always upheld our side of the Treaty partnership and will continue to do so. All we ask is that you do the same.”
The Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) (Customary Marine Title) Amendment Bill passed its final reading on Tuesday and will become law following Royal Consent by the Governor-General on behalf of British Crown.
Just like the Foreshore and Seabed Act 2004, this law will extinguish all Māori rights and interests over Aotearoa’s coastlines.
As a constitutional matter, Te Pāti Māori are elevating this bill to constitutional level. Māori rights over our foreshore and seabed pre-exist the New Zealand Government and cannot be extinguished by any Act of Parliament.
If the Governor-General does not intervene, Te Pāti Māori will repeal the Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Act in our first 100 days in government and return the foreshore and seabed to its rightful owners.