“Ministers are paying too much attention to the extremes while ignoring the vast majority of New Zealanders who are worried about the real impact of the cost of living, the economy, a failing healthcare system and housing,” Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu Kaiwhakahaere Justin Tipa says.

“The way this government is increasingly conducting itself is simply not how we do things as New Zealanders.

“The government’s announcement that it will re-open the foreshore and seabed controversy by changing the rules on recognising centuries-old Māori customary title for a third time goes against the rule of law and New Zealand values,” Mr Tipa says.

Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith announced yesterday that the Crown intends to change legislation to overrule judgments of the High Court and Court of Appeal to make it harder for Māori applicants to have their customary title recognised.

“The foreshore and seabed issue exploded 20 years ago because the Labour-led government stopped Māori from having their day in court,” he said.

“In 2011, under Prime Minister John Key and Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson, the National-led government passed the Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Act (MACA) 2011. Now another National-led government are undoing the work of their own predecessors.

“Worse, Mr Goldsmith has announced the law will be retrospective. They’re telling iwi and hapū whose cases are before the courts, and who may get a judgment before the law is changed, don’t bother, we will just alter those decisions and take your rights away anyway.

“Kiwis support the rule of law and access to justice and are proud of the country we’ve built on the foundations of the Treaty,” Mr Tipa says. “An increasing number of actions by this government are simply inconsistent with New Zealand values.”

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