A treaty historian says the repeal of the Foreshore and Seabed Act puts the Maori Party in a powerful position.
The Government has signaled the Act will be repealed by the end of next year and hopes for political consensus on its replacement.
Historian Paul Moon says the move puts the Maori Party in a strong position, considering it came into being to fight the legislation. He says the party can now say to its electorate that it has achieved what it set out to do and has changed Government policy.
Dr Moon says the next step for the Government and the Maori Party is to consult with the public about what form the new legislation should take.
He believes a co-management approach to beaches could be the way forward. Dr Moon says the challenge for the Government is to find a way to ensure some sense of ownership for hapu and iwi alongside the recognition that the beach is part of New Zealand culture.
He says there are a few ways the lawmakers can tackle that challenge, including having a combination of local hapu, councillors and recreational fishermen working together in committees to decide general rules.
Dr Moon says the process to find replacement legislation may take some time.
