Treaty and Aquaculture

No Right Turn is appalled that National is not supporting the aquaculture settlement, on the basis of similarity to the 1992 fisheries settlement which National agreed to.

But is not the reason marine farming was left out, because there was not agreement that it was a traditional activity carried out in any way before 1840?

NRT claims that the settlement should be made because “we stole it from them”. I’ll put aside the desire to use the quote from Tonto “Who’s this we white man” and ask whether people really think that Maori owned 100% of everything in NZ prior to 1840? They owned all the fisheries, all the land, all the forests? Not just in the areas where they lived but all the areas where there were no Maori living also?

The other unremarked on aspect of the proposed settlement, is that it is not at all for historical claims. The $50 million is only for claims since September 1992. It does not cover any claims for pre 1992.