"It's huge, what a whoppa!" Maori Party. Seabed Foreshore Repeal. 25 June 2010

The cartoon shows an excited Pita Sharples Co-leader of the Maori Party hauling on what looks like a mighty fish that represents the 'Seabed and Foreshore Repeal'. From behind it is evident that it is only the head of the fish that Sharples has caught; a shark with the head of PM John Key swims away in the distance. Refers to the repeal of the Foreshore and Seabed Act of 2004 which the Maori Party believes is a coup and which was the main plank of their election campaign. Critics however think that the new Act grants little that is different from the original act. The new act will make the foreshore and seabed neither Crown nor Maori land, but a public place which will belong to neither but will give Maori certain rights. Existing Maori and Pakeha private titles will continue unaffected as will public access and existing navigation and fishing rights. There have been additions, including the two-track regime for seeking customary rights and title and the establishment of universal recognition orders. Customary title will cover development rights, and the right to veto development by others. Some mineral rights will be conferred. The universal recognition orders will recognise the links an iwi has with the foreshore and seabed, but will not confer any rights. Maori Party co-leaders Pita Sharples and Tariana Turia said they had fulfilled a long-standing promise to repeal the Foreshore and Seabed Act, which did not permit iwi to seek customary title through the courts. (Information from Stuff)

Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).