Please sign our new petition to welcome a visit of the replica of Captain James Cook's ship Endeavour to New Zealand in October.
This is to counter another petition calling on the Government to cancel the ship's visit, claiming that racism began here with the arrival of Captain James Cook in 1769.
Hate speech surrounding that petition accompanied an attack on Cook's statue in Gisborne last Thursday.
We think that the claim that racism began here with the arrival of Cook is absurd. We think that now is a good time to celebrate our collective heritage and culture.
Gisborne will be the first port of call on October 5 for HM Bark Endeavour and a flotilla of waka on a voyage around New Zealand to mark the 250th anniversary of the first encounters between Maori and Europeans in 1769.
The HM Bark Endeavour is an Australian replica of the sailing ship commanded by Cook when he charted New Zealand and discovered the eastern coast of Australia in 1769.
The flotilla will also visit Tolaga Bay, Mercury Bay (where it will anchor from October 21-28), then will make a brief stop in Auckland, before continuing to the Bay of Islands and Queen Charlotte Sound, stopping in Wellington in between.
To sign our petition of welcome, go to http://chng.it/jKMjXXMwGd
Overlaps undermine coastal claims
Extensive overlap of claimed territory means that numerous coastal claims lodged in the High Court under the Marine and Coastal Area Act 2011 fail to meet the exclusive use criteria, according to Attorney General David Parker, who is the Crown's representative.
Around 600 claims have been made for the entire coastal area of New Zealand, with most made to the Treaty Negotiations Minister and around 200 made to the High Court.
A second round of case management conferences is currently underway in the High Court.
Applicants have been requested to provide evidence to back up their claims, including accurate maps to replace the hand-drawn maps lacking GPS co-ordinates that some claimants submitted.
Meanwhile, an applicant sought a second hearing to resolve the matter of the role and status of the Attorney-General in legal proceedings.
While the Attorney-General is the Crown's representative, it is not at all clear that his office is defending public rights over the foreshore and seabed.
Only a tiny group of ordinary men and women, by and large lacking in legal skills and funding, have put their hands up to defend public ownership of the entire coastal area for future generations.
The hearing to determine the Attorney-General's status is expected to proceed late this month.
Frequently asked questions
- What is Hobson's Pledge? Hobson’s Pledge supporters think it is absurd to argue in the 21st century that people who chance to have a Maori ancestor, always with other ancestors too of course, should have superior rights to those who don’t. And utterly absurd that there are politicians who want to be taken seriously who still push this nonsense.
- What are the issues we're facing today?
- Who are the people behind Hobson's Pledge Trust?
- What are our campaigns?
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