Foreshore and Seabed Act 2004

The Act gives effect to the object stated in section 3 by—

(a) vesting the full legal and beneficial ownership of the public foreshore and seabed in the Crown; and

(b) providing for the recognition and protection of ongoing customary rights to undertake or engage in activities, uses, or practices in areas of the public foreshore and seabed; and

(c) enabling applications to be made to the High Court to investigate the full extent of the rights that may have been held at common law, and, if those rights are not able to be fully expressed as a result of this Act, enabling a successful applicant group—

(i) to participate in the administration of a foreshore and seabed reserve; or

(ii) to enter into formal discussions on redress; and

(d) providing for general rights of public access and recreation in, on, over, and across the public foreshore and seabed and general rights of navigation within the foreshore and seabed.