Don't Let our Beach Access Disappear

I received this by email - it's vitally important for all Kiwis. If you agree contact your MP, John Key and forward it to everyone!
An open letter to all Kiwis.
Our coastline is under threat from a racist bill.
If you care about our country and the love affair that generations of Kiwis have
had with our coast, please read this and help. Our beach-going culture is under
imminent threat from the Minister of Treaty Settlements who is determined to
give our precious coastline to Māori, through his Marine and Coastal Area Bill.
Let us explain.
In 2010 the Minister of Treaty Settlements Chris Finlayson – a former lawyer for
Ngai Tāhu – wanted to give the Urewera National Park to Tūhoe. But the public
believe our National Parks should belong to all New Zealanders, not just Māori.
When John Key realised how strongly the public were opposed to the deal, he
stopped it.
Now the same Minister intends giving our beaches and territorial sea – and
most of the riches that are under it – to a few privileged iwi. Again the public
are overwhelmingly opposed. They believe the foreshore and seabed are the
birthright and common heritage of all New Zealanders equally. Will John Key
step in this time to stop the Bill?
The Prime Minister promised he would stop this bill if the
public were opposed to it. Can we trust the Prime Minister
to keep his word?
When John Key announced National’s plan to repeal Crown ownership of the
foreshore and seabed, in March 2010 he said “if there was not wide support then
the current law could remain in place”. We are now calling on the Prime Minister
to honour his promise. He shouldn’t say one thing then do another.
Almost everyone who has looked beyond the rhetoric and half-truths issued by
the Minister of Treaty Settlements and who has read the bill for themselves is
overwhelmingly opposed to it. They believe the bill is bad for most Māori and
worse for the rest of us.
Please help us stop our coastline being given away. Please help us convince the
Prime Minister to honour his promise to the people of New Zealand and leave
the current law in place
Please contact John Key. Ask him to honour his promise
to withdraw this divisive and racist bill.
Please help us and take action now.
The bill is scheduled to become law
within the next two weeks!
Please forward this message on to everyone you know and
ask them to help fight the bill.

• Ask them if it’s fair that the threshold test for customary title has
been significantly lowered to make it easier for iwi to claim? *
• Ask them if it’s fair that iwi won’t have to prove their claims
in court?
• Ask them if it’s fair that politicians can give away your beach
without asking you, telling you, or giving you any right of appeal?
Ask them if it’s fair that politicians can swap your beach for votes
in a coalition deal with the Māori Party – just so they can stay
in power?
• Ask them if it’s fair that traditional local usage has been extended
to “customary interests” giving iwi power over the entire coastline.
In addition customary title gives iwi more rights to: minerals; all
newly found “taonga tūturu”; other development rights; and the
right to develop a plan which regional councils must recognise
and provide for? *
• Ask them if it’s fair that iwi will be able to exclusively develop the
marine area, including fish farming, without (according to legal
experts) having to ask the public?
• Ask them if it’s fair that iwi will be able to veto the rights
of others to commercially use the coast?
• Ask them if it’s fair that the bill turns the burden of proof around
so the Crown will now have to prove customary rights were legally
extinguished, rather than iwi having to prove they were not? *
• Ask them if it’s fair that iwi will be able to ban people from all
beaches and fishing spots by declaring wāhi tapu (and fine you
$5000 if you trespass)?
• Ask them if it’s fair that one in ten kilometres of our coastline could
be given to iwi as soon as the bill passes into law? And the Māori
Party has said they won’t be satisfied until the entire coast is in
Māori hands.
Thank you for caring about our coast and our country. This issue is at
the heart of what it means to be a New Zealander, and whether you
want a future united as one people or a future divided by race.
* Source: briefing paper by the
Māori Party to iwi describing
how much they will gain
from this new bill. View at
www.CoastalCoalition.co.nz
On behalf of the Coastal Coalition:
Dr Muriel Newman
New Zealand Centre for
Political Research
Dr Hugh Barr
Secretary, Council of Outdoor
Recreation Associations of New Zealand
John Key still needs
every vote.
Contact Peter Dunne –
ask him to oppose the bill:
peter.dunne@parliament.govt.nz
In 2004 he led a march in Nelson
opposing the race-based carve up
of New Zealand’s coastline. Ask
him why he is supporting this bill
now see here
Help us fight the bill:
The Coastal Coalition is a grass
roots movement formed to oppose
National’s plan to carve up the
coast along racial lines.
You can find out more about this
whole outrage from
www.CoastalCoalition.co.nz
Tens of thousands of Kiwi families
have supported our campaign.
Your donation will help us reach
the public with information like
this – so more New Zealanders can
understand what’s actually going
on. Click here to help
What else can you do?
Contact all the other National MPs.
Tell them they have lost your vote if they pass this racist bill.
Ask them if they have actually read the bill. Don’t be put off by propaganda
and misinformation. Ask them some hard questions.