More disappointment on the MCA

From No Right Turn;

The Māori Affairs Committee has reported back [PDF] on the Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Bill, and recommended that it be passed without amendment.

Say what?

The government has rammed this bill through, prevented the committee from taking advice from the department on proposed amendments, and ignored all submissions. The 500 page summary of submissions was only made available to Labour Members yesterday, and the bill approved without amendment that same day.

National doing what National does best. Shitting on democracy.  

Its worth noting that the Māori Party colluded in this, providing National with the majority to do all this. So much for their commitment to the democratic process, or for "listening to their people". Their people submitted on the bill in good faith. Te Ururoa Flavell helped shut them down and shut them out to aid his National Party masters.

This is unforgivable. Te Ururoa’s actions show disrespect towards everyone who submitted both for and against the bill. His actions completely disregard the concerns of many iwi that opposed the bill and illustrate intense contempt for democracy.

I hope this is the beginning of the end for Te Ururoa. He does not deserve to represent the people of Waiariki nor does he deserve to represent Maoridom.

It is absolutely treacherous to purport to represent Maori interests while on the other hand actively suppressing Maori views. Te Ururoa has made a conscious choice to diminish Maori concerns in favour of political expediency and for that he must go. It appears that, when given the choice, Te Ururoa will choose to advance political relationships and agendas above representing the views of his constituents.

Te Ururoa has sent a strong message to Maori Party supporters: Your views are irrelevant when they do not suit my political aims. Trust is a virtue worth cultivating - The Maori Party knows this, The Maori Party says this but apparently Te Ururoa Flavell does not practise this. Essentially, Te Ururoa has shown that putting ones ‘trust’ in The Maori Party is a mistake.

Hat tip No Right Turn

Goff - FAIL

What does one make of Phil Goff’s decision to withdraw support for the Marine and Coastal Area Bill? Crass opportunism? Genuine concern about the content of the bill? Well I certainly can’t tell.

Although I do not support the MCA on the grounds that the test for customary marine title is far too high – borderline unachievable – I do not support Goffs decision to withdraw Labour Party support. But one has to say that it is a clever end of year move by Goff. The foreshore and seabed becomes a very topical issue during the holiday season and without doubt conversation will pop up around the BBQ, the dinner table and the beachfront about the MCA bill. Goff has ensured that those conversations include his name. He has also stolen some of NZ First and ACT’s thunder and provides accommodation for disappointed Maori who are looking for a better deal. On the other hand the move could be interpreted as a dog whistle to the rednecks. That was my initial feeling I received from the six o’clock news. It was not until I read Goff’s press release that I realised the move was more than just redneck bait.

So which group will see Goff’s move as in line with their interests? Maori or rednecks? Well, plain and simple Maori do not trust Labour on this issue. Goff’s move will be interpreted as divisive politics and a return to the populist 2004 attitude that swept the Labour Party. If his intention was to woo disillusioned Maori he has failed terribly. However, if his intention was to pick up a few redneck votes then I think he has succeeded somewhat. Any opposition to the bill will be seen by rednecks as aligning with their views. Certainly Goff’s rationale (opposition to backroom deals) is in line with the concerns expressed by the likes of the Coastal Coalition. The gross irony is the F&S Act 2004 allowed for backroom deals as well – the Court process became a mere formality.

Although I believe Goff intentions were more complex than laying redneck bait that is all I think he has achieved. I have never liked Goff and now I dislike the man even more. No issue is more divisive and emotional than the foreshore and seabed and I look down on Goff for igniting the politics of division in the run up to Christmas.