Well, well, well ...… so Labour now thinks that Maori should have the right to seek customary title to the foreshore and seabed do they? That Maori should be allowed to argue their case before the Maori Land Court, with right of appeal to the High Court?

Michael Cullen, architect of the Act, last week announced a complete about-face on their decision to steal the foreshore and seabed; basically admitting that Labour was wrong to steal it in the first place. My, my, my ...– what a wonderful man he is ...… not!!

Back in 2003, when the Court of Appeal actually granted Maori the right to claim the foreshore and seabed, Labour stepped in, threw out the court ruling, and hastily scribbled a bill to steal it for themselves. And yes, it was theft. They didn't own it before the Act; in fact the court said that Maori might own it.

That racist decision (the Act would have no bearing on land already owned by Pakeha and overseas interests ...– only those pieces of foreshore and seabed that Maori could claim), was opposed by hundreds of thousands of New Zealanders, including the National Council of Churches, the New Zealand Maori Council, Law Society, the Maori Womens Welfare League, the Unions, every tribe in the country, the Greens, the Waitangi Tribunal, and in the biggest march in the history of the country, 50,000 Maori marched on parliament to oppose the bill . . . heck, even the United Nations called it bad legislation.

Prime Minister Helen Clark tried to block opposition to the bill, by launching a scathing attack on the foreshore and seabed hikoi, labelling the organizers as "haters and wreckers", refusing to meet with anyone from the hikoi, and instead posing with "Shrek" the sheep, "because Shrek was good company."

Boy did she ever get that wrong.

That march was the birth of the Maori Party, and the end of Labour's stranglehold over the Maori seats. In 2005, Labour lost 4 seats to the Maori Party. In 2008, the Maori MPs won their 4 seats with increased majorities, added another seat, secured two ministerial portfolios, and won a review of the Foreshore and Seabed Act as part of its confidence and supply deal with National after last year's election.

When the review was announced, Labour leader Phil Goff said the review was unnecessary as the Act was working well, and reopening debate had the potential to divide Maori and Pakeha.

And now, Goff has been made to swallow his words by a parting shot from Michael Cullen announcing Labour's formal position that Maori should be able to seek customary title to the foreshore and seabed ...– exactly what Maori had before Helen Baba and her 40 thieves rode into town and stole it, before exiting stage left.

This story ain't over yet folks, but a couple of footnotes (1) the three people credited with this most despicable piece of legislative thievery are gone ...– Margaret Wilson left parliament after the 2008 election, Helen Clark has gone on to higher ground, and Michael Cullen delivers his farewell speech in parliament tomorrow, and (2) having spent the last 5 years vainly trying to justify the Foreshore and Seabed Act, what on earth are Labour's Maori MPs going to say now? Northland Age, 28/04/09.