6 February 2005

Foreshore and seabed policy strikes right balance

Deputy Prime Minister Michael Cullen today released polling data showing a clear majority of all New Zealanders and a plurality of Maori believe the Foreshore and Seabed Act is fair.

The Act removes the possibility of gaining customary title but provides that any group which would have been able to demonstrate such a claim is entitled to redress and that the government has a duty to negotiate that in good faith.

“The UMR Research result, based on a representative sample of 750 people, shows 56 per cent consider the legislation strikes a balance between the rights of Maori and those of the general population,” Dr Cullen said.

“Among Maori this was also the most commonly held view with 45 percent support,” he said although adding that the Maori sub-sample was very small comprising only 65 people.

Dr Cullen quoted the poll in a Waitangi Day speech on the meaning of the Treaty.

He said the Treaty was a living document which provided an orderly framework for the settlement of historical grievances and the resolution of ongoing debates about the rights of Maori as the original inhabitants and owners of the land.

People worried that the grievance settlement process would go on forever. It would not but it would take some years yet as settlements were complex and to rush them was to risk getting them wrong.

“What is reasonable is to put a time limit on the lodging of claims so that people can see there is an end point,” he said.

Poll data attached.

Foreshore and Seabed

Omnibus Results

[December 2004]

Methodology

Results in this report are based upon questions asked in the UMR Research nation-wide omnibus survey. This is a telephone survey of a nationally representative sample of 750 New Zealanders 18 years of age and over.

Fieldwork was conducted from 2nd to 5th December 2004 at UMR Research’s national interview facility in Auckland.

The margin of error for a 50% figure at the ‘95% confidence level’ is ± 3.6%.

FORESHORE AND SEABED LEGISLATION

Thinking about the Government’s new law on the ownership of the New Zealand foreshore and seabed, which of the following is closest to your view?
December 2004 %
All (n=750) Mâori (n=65)
It gives Mâori special rights they should not have 26 13
It deprives Mâori of rights they should have 9 34
It strikes a balance between the two 56 45
Unsure 9 8
TOTAL 100 100

OPINION OF NEW LAW ON THE OWNERSHIP OF THE NZ FORESHORE AND SEABED

Thinking about the Governments new law on the ownership of the New Zealand Foreshore and Seabed, which of the following is closest to your view? [READ LIST]

It gives Mâori It deprives special rights Mâori of rights It strikes a they should not they should balance between Base have have the two Unsure
ALL 750 26% 9% 56% 9%

AREA Auckland 212 27% 13% 51% 9% Provincial 362 25% 8% 59% 8% Christchurch 92 24% 10% 55% 11% Wellington 84 22% 9% 56% 13%

RURAL 157 20% 10% 62% 8%

SEX Male 359 25% 7% 60% 8% Female 391 26% 12% 52% 10%

AGE GROUP Under 30 135 21% 12% 60% 7% 30-44 275 29% 8% 51% 12% 45-59 174 27% 12% 54% 7% 60 Plus 166 22% 7% 62% 9%

OCCUPATION Professionals, 178 22% 12% 58% 8% Managers Technicians, 96 25% 8% 53% 14% Associate Professionals Clerks 47 42% 6% 42% 10% Sales and service 56 26% 12% 55% 7% workers Blue Collar 131 27% 4% 62% 7% Students 33 15% 20% 61% 4% Retired 106 22% 8% 61% 9% Homemaker 45 27% 8% 51% 14% Not employed 23 28% 19% 49% 4% Self employed 34 30% 7% 49% 14%

PERSONAL INCOME Less than $15,000 150 23% 10% 57% 10% $15,001-25,000 125 22% 15% 56% 7% $25,001-30,000 65 22% 11% 59% 8% $30,001-40,000 114 26% 10% 56% 8% $40,001-50,000 89 26% 6% 57% 11% $50,001-70,000 91 31% 2% 60% 7% More than $70,000 68 32% 8% 51% 9%

Mâori 65 13% 34% 45% 8% Non-Mâori 685 27% 7% 57% 9%

ENDS

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