About 200 Maori walked across the harbour bridge today and gathered outside the Armitage Hotel in protest at the Port of Tauranga's plan to deepen and widen harbour channels.
The Armitage is where the Environment Court is resuming the hearing of the appeal against port plans, which was adjourned in April.
Protesters at the Armitage Hotel this morning. Photo Cody Stevens
The challenge to the port expansion plans is from Te Rununga O Ngai Te Rangi Iwi, which opposes the port's plans on two main issues: preservation of kaimoana and culture.
The iwi is concerned about the strength and status of Tauranga harbour's Mataitai reserve.
The Tauranga reserve came into effect on September 2008.
Mataitai reserves are established under the Fisheries Act, under the Waitangi Claim Fisheries Settlement Act 1992.
The reserve area will be affected by the dredging.
The iwi has issues with the central bank pipi bed, Te Pari Taha, and the Tanea Shelf.
The iwi don't want boulders removed from the shelf, which is a natural marine habitat, and is also the focus of the cultural issue.
'We see Mauao as an ancestor of ours and how it's been described is ‘having the Tanea boulder shelf removed would be like cutting the toes or toenails' – whichever way you look at it, off our tipuna, our ancestor,” says an iwi spokesman, Reon Tuanau.
PTL wants to remove 15 million cubic metres of sand from harbour channels to enable the port to accommodate bigger ships.
The plan is to deepen the channels by up to 3.3 metres enabling the port to accommodate ships up to 14.5m draught at low water and with an overall length of 347m.
Typically, these ships can carry up to 7000 TEUs, 20ft equivalent container units. Dredging is expected to be carried out in stages to match market demand.
The resumed hearing is set down for three days.
Maori marching across Tauranga's harbour bridge this morning en route to the Armitage Hotel.
24 comments
Genius
Posted on 14-11-2011 12:23 | By Persephone
That Maori, or anyone else, should protest on the grounds of natural habitat destruction may be fair enough, particularly if the Port people can not show that the disruption will be minimal, but to protest against progress on the grounds of primitive belief and superstition is beyond belief. If Te Rununga O Ngai Te Rangi Iwi want to be taken seriously, they need to concentrate on facts. If cutting the toenails off an ancestor is their biggest concern, then let the dredging commence.
It's about jobs
Posted on 14-11-2011 12:45 | By Steve Morris
Without deepening the channels the Port of Tauranga is at risk of being relegated to a feeder port in the future; losing the business of major shipping lines. Net result - less jobs in our region. Contrast this with the approach of Opotiki Iwi who are in favour of the development of Opotiki harbour and the shellfish industry because it means more and higher paying jobs - a chance to escape the poverty trap.
Posted on 14-11-2011 13:29 | By traceybjammet
yes save the enviroment yes consider all the options If anybody is needing food I guess if the port(a large contributor the the area) is stopped then no-one in the area should have a lack of food and the food-bank will be out of business
Posted on 14-11-2011 13:44 | By charob
If we listened to maori against any progress. we would still be living like primatives.This is progress depening the channell and progress supplies more jobs. Including them. I belive with Persophone saying if cutting the toenales off an ancestor is there biggest concern , then let the dredging begin. I came over the bridge when the walk was on and there were lots of white maoris walking.
WHY!?
Posted on 14-11-2011 14:21 | By Kiwimon
Irrespective of anything else, WHY do we have to allow bigger ships into Tga harbour?? So we have to salvage even MORE oil and containers when the next idiot runs aground? So we can get more JUNK from China into the country? More palm kernels? So we can spend more time in traffic jams when we'll have even MORE heavy trucks on the roads servicing the port? So we can breath in MORE fumes, dust and methyl bromide? The port is a HUGE environmental disaster as it is, we don't need more of it!
Joke
Posted on 14-11-2011 14:32 | By justice
Glad im not related to a rock! as we can see there is not to much iq there. I suggest the 200 walk onto the Mount itself then cut a new channel on the hot pools side! That way all can live how they want to!
kiwimon
Posted on 14-11-2011 16:18 | By charob
You are SO negative. why dont you just move to another part of the country. Its called life and progress........negative attitudes from people like yourself get us NO where.Bet you buy Product from China all the time, and eat the meat that has been fed Palm Kernals or product made from it.
Work
Posted on 14-11-2011 16:29 | By rastus
It must be great to have the financial freedom to march in a protest during the normal working day (for most) I sincerely hope that it's not my taxes that are supporting this laughable attempt at trying to be someone There is no doubt that even our environment has to accept change as we progress (howls of distain from kiwimon - who cares about his/her cave man statements) There are many rebuttal arguments to these Maori with their misconceived concepts about survival in the modern world. To carry out meaningful commerce (as their forefathers did extremely well) one needs to accept the benefits that our planet offers us. So marchers let me suggest that you First try to get a job instead of feeding off the goodwill of others - then instead of mounting a negative protest why not, if you still have as much free time, start making plans as to how you can cooperate with mother nature to build an operation in our wonderful area to support not only yourselves but your tamariki and mokopuna.
19th Century Thinking
Posted on 14-11-2011 16:31 | By Jitter
These people, white Maori included, are trying to drag Tauranga, no the whole of NZ, back into the 19th century. If this development does not go ahead the Port of Tauranga could, as has already been said, become a feeder port only to other NZ ports. I fully respect Maori culture, but when it is holding up progress and is based solely on primitive culture then I disagree. It is time these people moved into the 21st century. Yes, retain their culture but don't try to use it to block every major project using cultural arguments every time and then wonder why people get angry when they continually try to thrust it down everyones throat. If Tauranga was reduced to a feeder port only, many jobs would be lost and who would be the first to protest over this ? The same people who are protesting over the proposed port development. We the people of NZ (Maori, European, Pacific Islander, Asian, Indian etc) should be working and moving ahead together and not find one ethnic group continually frustrating and holding up progress. Come on guys move into the present day.
rastus
Posted on 14-11-2011 16:35 | By charob
couldnt of worded it better.
it's about lining your own pockets
Posted on 14-11-2011 16:39 | By armolony
Why is it that everytime anyone or any business wants to do anything to do with progress, they need to pay for Maori to have there say in what it is. Why do these people who seem to have plenty of time while the hard working and tax paying people get on and earn the country a living sit around causing problem after problem for those that do make the effort to help the struggling economy.
Protesters Grow Up
Posted on 14-11-2011 17:35 | By carpedeum
For goodness sake- try and look beyond the fairy stories of the past.Mother nature created this country not anyone who will object to having their toenails cut. I understand that that the sand and shellfish seedings in it will be spread further along the cooastline and continue to provide food for all.Get back to work like the rest of us trying to make our way in this world recession
Port of Tauranga
Posted on 14-11-2011 20:36 | By Glen Clova
How much do they want this time,god forbid when will it ever end.
Hold out ya hand !
Posted on 14-11-2011 20:39 | By Leigh
IT'S ALL ABOUT ONE THING .......K O H A. Look around the country and eventually all their protests fade away once enough Koha has been placed in the back pocket
KOHA-HA-HA-HA-HA
Posted on 14-11-2011 22:27 | By WARTS N ALL
LEIGH, yes it is! KIRIE, it will not end until the PC BS stops and they have to go get a real job and actually work. ARMOLONY, it will keep happening until they get knocked back for being the BS it is, actually it is nothing better than similar events done around the round table, such as "you buy my stadium cos I decided 'you must' want it1" and give me free land that I want, no different really, just another day at the office if you ask me, same thing different coloured package. RASTUS, yes it is "our money, taxpayers" that are paying them to put the hand out for even more. Actually would a thought that the Oil Drilling was more of a problem that move a little sand around a bit. Even the RENA is far more of a threat, but of course they only pay if you actually do some work, GET THE PICTURE! Moan = hand out = get money = moan more = hand out more = get more .... it never ends until you cut it off!
nice day for a walk
Posted on 15-11-2011 07:19 | By Mr bay
I hope they walked back, some of them could have used the excercise......
Clever
Posted on 15-11-2011 08:03 | By wreck1080
Leigh has it in one. This is about cold hard cash, not pipi beds. There is a larger power struggle between the government and maori . Maori will remain at the bottom of all social indicators until they stop begging for treaty crumbs and start working hard and thinking smart.
Goodbye to the age of reason
Posted on 15-11-2011 09:33 | By Gee Really
Regardless of religious or cultural beliefs, whether they be Maori or European, Christian or any other, isn't it about time humanity moved on and took more notice of science and fact rather than superstition and sentiment. But hey, if society wants to go the spiritual way, wasn't walking across the harbour bridge a bit like trampling on the stomach of the ancestor?
TAMPLING
Posted on 15-11-2011 09:53 | By DRONE
@ Gee really, At least the Habour Bridge is the right shape so as to fit in with the average walker wandering across. No doubt they begged for a free limo to return home or where ever to.
pathetic pakeha
Posted on 15-11-2011 12:39 | By Piratin
Might be hard to believe for a bunch of ignorant racists, but the fact that tangata whenua and a handful of greenpeace people are the only ones in NZ who are protesting when it comes to unnecessary and unsustainable "development" projects does not mean they are deluded fantasts. I'm afraid it means that the majority of people lack the imagination, education, creativity, or simply willingness to think into the future any further than, let's say, next thursday.
@charob
Posted on 15-11-2011 15:53 | By Kiwimon
Because I love it here and want to try to hinder what YOU call "life & progress", I call it environmental "rape"! Besides, it wont be much "life" left once the commercial and unsustainable forces have completely taken over. And no, I actually DON'T by stuff from China if I have a choice and I DON'T eat meat fed with palm kernels if I can avoid it! I actually try to "walk the talk" as much as possible and it really shocks and saddens me to see how racist, ignorant and uneducated the readers of Sun Live are! I really hope it doesn't reflect the majority of the population....
Get Understanding, get informed.
Posted on 15-11-2011 16:19 | By faithhopelove
Some of the comments on here are absolutely disgusting. These comments that attack people, not the kaupapa. How immature and disrespectful of you select few that think that you need to attack people personally on and i quote from Mr Bay "some of them could've used the exercise" shame on you. Stick to the kaupapa!
HARDEN UP FOLKS
Posted on 15-11-2011 16:46 | By SCARLET PIMPINEL
That is what is needed, @ Faithhopeluv and Piratin. Lets get a couple a things straight, Pakeha is not a nice word, in fact it is in the category of "nigger" so not at all appropriate. I will refrain from aptly naming you according to colour as a point of respect for a fellow human, but I have my thoughts regardless! Next: the "workers" of NZ are largely at work during the hours of daylight so as to "earn" a living, perhaps you pay us some "KOHA" and we will protest to, in fact I could have a full time job of that, if the KOHA is enough to make it worth my while. KOHA, there are better names for that, most of which are meant to be illegal in NZ but yeah well that is what you get with two sets of rules right, for the KOHA payers and the KOHA takers. Meanwhile in the real world and of course you should appreciate "the rest of us" who pay tax, work and all that so as you have something to drag off, Oh silly me and I was the one who was meant to be feeling "left out".
Get Understanding, get informed
Posted on 16-11-2011 11:39 | By faithhopelove
Again i say get understanding and get informed. Do your research as to the whakapapa of the term "pakeha". Also everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but stick to the kaupapa that is being discussed don't jump into some emotional rage and start attacking people because in your opinion you think they need the exercise. Get understanding and get informed.
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