Parliament erupted into song on the passage of the law replacing Labour's contentious foreshore and seabed act this afternoon.

The bill was passed by 63 votes to 56 though there was controversy when independent MP Hone Harawira was told his vote would not count.

Deputy Speaker Lindsay Tisch ruled that Mr Harawira, who gave his vote in Maori, had only offered "a view" but had not actually cast a vote.

But Mr Harawira was allowed to vote again after National minister John Carter intervened to ask Parliament leave to allow the MP to vote again.

The Marine and Coastal Area Act replaces the Foreshore and Seabed Act 2004 and follows more than two years of consultation.

Attorney-General Chris Finlayson said it ensured the right of public access without charge to the common marine and coastal area while recognise the rights of Maori by allowing them to seek customary title to parts of the marine and coastal area.

ACT attempt to delay foreshore Bill

Earlier the ACT Party's filibustering managed to delay debate on the bill - by a whole 25 minutes.

The bill, which replaces the Foreshore and Seabed Act, is up for its third reading and should pass before the house rises at 6pm tonight.

ACT Party co-leader John Boscawen lodged 700 questions to members today in a hope to delay the start of the debate. The majority were ruled out of order and just 98 were okayed.

However, most of those couldn't be asked as the members involved were conspicuously absent.

Fellow ACT MP Heather Roy rather begrudgingly stayed to answer a couple of questions.

Labour's Iain Lees-Galloway also stayed to answer the questions on his Smoke-free Environments (Removing Tobacco Displays) Amendment Bill. Sir Roger Douglas suggested it was because he hadn't "checked your email".

Labour MP Phil Twyford was the only other MP to hang around. He answered the question on his Depleted Uranium (Prohibition) Bill and took the chance to take a swipe at ACT.

None of the Government MPs, nor a handful of other Labour and Green MPs, were anywhere to be seen.

Boscawen said he hoped the delay tactics would give National MPs a chance to change their mind on voting for the Marine and Coastal Bill.

"We object to this bill, we're protesting in the strongest way we possibly can and I don't believe we look foolish, no."

In the House, Speaker Lockwood Smith suggested the absent members were busy with something that was "just as important as the 700 questions".