Portal:New Zealand/Selected article/Week 14, 2006
The New Zealand foreshore and seabed controversy is a debate in the politics of New Zealand. It concerns the ownership of the country's foreshore and seabed, with many Maori groups claiming that Maori have a rightful claim to title. These claims are based around historical possession and the Treaty of Waitangi.
The foreshore and seabed controversy was sparked when, on 19 June 2003, New Zealand's Court of Appeal ruled, in the Ngati Apa decision, that Maori were entitled to seek "customary title" over areas of New Zealand's foreshore and seabed in the Maori Land Court. The ruling granted only the right to pursue establishing an interest, which was acknowledged by experts to be unlikely to result in ownership, but the prospect of a successful claim created considerable hostility in many sectors of society.
On 18 November 2004, the Labour/Progressive government passed the Foreshore and Seabed Act, which gave ownership to the state. Maori can, however, apply for "guardianship" of certain areas. The Act was highly contentious.