The Green Party says it has confirmation from the Ministry of Justice that the legislation which will replace the Foreshore and Seabed Act is discriminatory.
The Greens have always maintained the Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Bill is discriminatory because the customary titles that can be conferred under it would be different to existing private freehold titles.
Co-leader Metiria Turei said today the party had a Cabinet paper, obtained under the Official Information Act, which showed the Government had been advised by the ministry: "The exclusion of private titles creates a double standard whereby pre-existing Maori rights (customary title) are within the shared marine space, while the rights of private title holders are left outside it. This approach continues the discriminatory effect of the 2004 Act."
Ms Turei said the bill did nothing to change the status of the existing 12,500 private titles.
"This is unfair and creates a double standard which treats Maori rights as inferior," she said.
Ms Turei said the ministry initially refused to release the information on the basis that it was legally privileged, and it was given to the Greens only after a complaint was made to the Ombudsman.
"It makes you wonder what other information on discrimination is in the material that the Government is still refusing to release," she said.
Ms Turei supported the hikoi that arrived at Parliament to protest against the legislation that will repeal the Foreshore and Seabed Act and replace it.
"The Government needs to listen to Maori and the hikoi...we need a fair bill, we'd like to see public access protected and equitable treatment for everyone," she said.
NZPA