The Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Act 2011 is an Act of the Parliament of New Zealand

Parliament of New Zealand

The Parliament of New Zealand consists of the Queen of New Zealand and the New Zealand House of Representatives and, until 1951, the New Zealand Legislative Council. The House of Representatives is often referred to as "Parliament".The House of Representatives usually consists of 120 Members of...

 created to replace the Foreshore and Seabed Act 2004

Foreshore and Seabed Act 2004

The Foreshore and Seabed Act 2004 is Act of the Parliament of New Zealand. It arose out of, and further fueled, the New Zealand foreshore and seabed controversy.It was replaced by the Marine and Coastal Area Bill.-External links:*...

.

Features of the Act

The Marine and Coastal Area Bill:

• Guarantees free public access.
• Makes a common space of the public marine and coastal area, ensuring it can never be sold.
• Protects all existing uses, including recreational fishing and navigation rights.
• Addresses two fundamental rights violated by the Foreshore and Seabed Act – the right to access justice through the courts, and property rights.
• Protects, and in some cases extends, rights of vital infrastructure such as ports and aquaculture

Results of the third reading

The bill passed by 63-56 on 24 March 2011. It was supported by the National

New Zealand National Party

The New Zealand National Party is the largest party in the New Zealand House of Representatives and in November 2008 formed a minority government with support from three minor parties.-Policies:...

, the Maori Party

Maori Party

The Māori Party, a political party in New Zealand, was formed on 7 July 2004. The Party is guided by eight constitutional "kaupapa", or Party objectives. Tariana Turia formed the Māori Party after resigning from the Labour Party where she had been a Cabinet Minister in the Fifth Labour-led...

, United Future while the Labour

New Zealand Labour Party

The New Zealand Labour Party is a New Zealand political party. It describes itself as centre-left and socially progressive and has been one of the two primary parties of New Zealand politics since 1935....

, the Greens

Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand

The Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand is a political party that has seats in the New Zealand parliament. It focuses firstly on environmentalism, arguing that all other aspects of humanity will cease to be of concern if there is no environment to sustain it...

, ACT, the Progressive Party

New Zealand Progressive Party

Jim Anderton's Progressive Party , is a New Zealand political party generally somewhat to the left of its ally, the Labour Party....

 and Hone Harawira

Hone Harawira

Hone Pani Tamati Waka Nene Harawira is a New Zealand Māori activist and parliamentarian. He was elected to the Parliament of New Zealand for the Māori electorate of Te Tai Tokerau in the 2005 general election as the Māori Party candidate. His resignation caused the Te Tai Tokerau by-election, held...

voted against it. This Act was one of the reasons which Harawira was forced to leave the Maori Party.