Metiria says foreshore ownership debatable

Green MP Metiria Turei will tonight go head to head with politicians from across the political spectrum over the contentious foreshore and seabed issue.

Local Dunedin resident Metiria, the Green Party's Maori Affairs spokesperson, will debate 'Who Should Own the Foreshore and Seabed(s) of New Zealand' with Labour's Pete Hodgson, Act's Ken Shirley and Wayne Mapp from the National Party.

The debate commences at 5pm this evening, May 7, at the Burns 2 lecture theatre, Burns Building, University of Otago, Albany Street. It will be chaired by Janine Hayward from the University's Political Sciences Department.

"The Green Party's view is that the Government's legislation to give crown ownership of the foreshore and seabed amounts to confiscation," said Metiria. "We want no raupatu in our time.

"This legislation also provides no environmental protection for the foreshore and seabed, nor does it protect these areas from future sale into private hands. Past experience shows that neither Labour nor National could be trusted not to sell out our land to private ownership - and Act would probably sell it off in a heartbeat.

"The Greens' solution is about justice for everyone, rather than a politically expedient quick fix. I encourage the people of Dunedin to come along and listen to what we have to say."

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