Maori Party drafts bill for Maori Seats - a bottom line for post election negotiations

RADIO NEW ZEALAND: The Maori Party has drafted a bill to protect the Maori seats, saying support for it would be a bottom line in any post-election coalition negotiations.

Party co-leader Tariana Turia says its members bill to entrench the seats would ensure the same protection in legislation for the Maori electorates as the general seats already have.

The leglislation would require a 75% majority in Parliament or a majority in a referendum of voters on the Maori electoral roll to repeal or amend the Maori seats.

The announcement was made at the Maori Party's launch of its treaty policy in Christchurch on Wednesday.

Mrs Turia says retaining the Maori seats is a constitutional matter, and the government should go back to Maori people to determine their future.

She says the party will be pushing which ever party wins the election for the entrenchment of the Maori seats.

"We're still making those decisions about how far we are prepared to push these issues, but why wouldn't we push for the entrenchment of the seats otherwise we have no reason to be there."

National Party leader John Key says its position remains that it will go into discussions with any party after the election in good faith, but he also says it still wants to start the process in 2014 to abolish the Maori seats.

The Maori Party's policy also calls for a Parliamentary Commissioner for the Treaty, immigrants to be taught New Zealand and Pacific history before settling in the country and all Maori over the age of 18 to be automatically entered on the Maori electoral roll.