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Prime Minister John Key speaks at a press conference - Source: ONE News -
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Compensation for Maori grievances over the foreshore and seabed is unlikely to be paid out.
The Prime Minister has revealed the new position at a press conference late Monday afternoon.
This position is at odds with a Ministerial review of the law, which along with suggesting the act should be repealed, recommended compensation for losses under the Foreshore and Seabed Act.
"I don't think that's seen as an important part of the process by many political parties including the Maori Party who said yesterday that was part of the programme," says Prime Minister John Key.
Even the staunchest Maori Party MP agrees with Key.
"I really don't care about the compensation issue and I don't think the party does particularly if that's something that's going to happen it's something that's going to happen between the courts and hapu and Iwi it is not an issue that we are pursuing," says Hone Harawira.
Nor is former Maori rights campaigner, now Greens co-leader Metiria Turei.
"If that's the debate then there will be a stirring up of the past disorder and unhappiness that doesn't have to happen we can choose a different way to deal with it," she says.
The major opposition party agrees.
"I don't think a case has been made-out for compensation if it has I haven't seen it," says Labour leader Phil Goff.
One government minister says the only winners from compensation would be populist politicians.
"They would divide the country and the tension that has been evident around foreshore and seabed for a long time would simply return," says UnitedFuture's Peter Dunne.
He is referring to Winston Peters who has returned to the political stage on this issue.
"It's a can or worms and for this country's long term future it's disastrous," says Peters.
A can of worms John Key seems keen to put a lid on.
"There seems to be a strong consensus that compensation is not likely part of the process," he says.
That may make the foreshore and seabed process just a little bit easier to resolve.
