Image: Ōhope Beach with Ohiwa Harbour in the background.

The Great Beach Grab!

The long-awaited Court of Appeal judgement under the Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Act 2011 (MACA) was released the week following the general election.

• RULE OF LAW refers to a system whereby the Government and citizens (and other individuals) are bound by the law, and all are accountable under the law. Everyone must be treated under the same laws and possess the same rights. Simply put, this means that no one is above the law.
• RULE BY LAW is a concept that sees the governing authority as somehow being above the law and has the power to create and execute law where they find it to be convenient, despite the effect it has on larger freedoms that people enjoy.