Petition to Restore NZ beaches to public ownership

Dear Supporter

Hello, Casey Costello from Hobson’s Pledge here.

Until recently, the Crown owned New Zealand’s coastline on behalf of ALL New Zealanders. In 2011 Parliament passed the Marine and Coastal Area Act a law which confiscated public ownership of the foreshore and seabed, but then allowed Maori to claim title and ownership rights.

As a result Maori lodged nearly 600 claims covering every square inch of NZ's coastline out to 22km off shore, the airspace above and minerals below.

Today Treaty Negotiations Minister Andrew Little and the High Court are poised to surrender ownership of massive stretches of coastline, our beautiful and priceless beaches and seabed to private Maori interests.

The new law will create and enrich a coastal owning tribal aristocracy and “sacred areas” will become off-limits to the public, enforceable by fines. Some tribal members have already illegally tried to block access to “their” beaches.

The legacy of this bad legislation will be a burden to us as a people, dividing us and creating conflict for generations. Our beaches are integral as to who we are as a nation, it is our responsibility to fix this mess.

You can help us by signing and sharing our on-line petition asking Parliament to restore public ownership.

You can sign this important petition by: clicking here,

or: by googling: “change.org Restore NZ beaches to public ownership” 

or you can visit hobsonspledge.nz/maca for more information.

Thank you for your support, it is very much appreciated.

Casey Costello

Hobson's Pledge

PS you do not have to be a New Zealand citizen to petition the New Zealand Parliament