“The Maori Party went into negotiation on the foreshore and seabed with two demands – repeal of the Act and restoration of Maori access to the courts – and we got them both,” said Hone Harawira, Maori Party MP for the Tai Tokerau. “But what Maori people were really after was Maori Title, and we were prepared to guarantee public access and no sale to show non-Maori how committed we were to a shared deal.”

“Unfortunately it looks like Pakeha will get their public access and no sale, but Maori ain’t going to get the title, so I’m gutted about that.”

“I’m disappointed, but not surprised, that the Prime Minister wasn’t bold enough to do the right thing, and I’m disappointed that he chose to pander to the rednecks rather than give Maori the justice we deserve.”

“One of the lessons we’ve learnt is that if government says it wants public domain, then we need to know whether that’s negotiable or not. Because if it’s not and clearly public domain wasn’t, we could have closed this all up 3 months ago, and saved Maori all the anguish and heightened expectation that has been created by this bullshit consultation process.”

“But whatever government does, Maori know that this fight is not over yet.”

“We will keep fighting until we get that Maori title, because it is ours by right. And not just customary title either, but formal, legislative recognition of our rights to the foreshore and seabed, as guaranteed under Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.”

ends

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