Tauranga City Council says they 'could not connect with the family” before the first of 11 memorials was removed from Mauao.
Council plans to remove the remaining 10 memorials in the coming months, as part of a collaborative 'Mauao Placemaking” project with Ngā Poutiriao ō Mauao, the Mauao Joint Administration Board.
Tauranga City Council spaces and places manager, Sarah Pearce, says the council was 'unable to locate any details” for family members before the first memorial was removed, but is 'now in contact with them and are working to return their plaque”.
The Mauao Placemaking project, which outlines the removal of the plaques, was created in 2018.
An outcome of the project stated there will be 'no new memorial seats or plaques permitted” and therefore 'no memorial seats on Mauao will be approved”.
Sarah adds most of the seats were installed over 20 years ago, making it 'challenging” to locate accurate contact details for every family member connected to the seats.
'All existing seating will be replaced over the coming months and 11 memorial plaques will be removed. Each memorial plaque will be stored safely until they can be collected by the families.”
Mauao Joint Administration Board chairman Dean Flavell says the Mauao Trust would also like to return the seat and plaque.
'On behalf of the Mauao Trust, I would like to extend our deepest apologies to the family for any emotional stress caused and would like to return the seat and plaque,” says Dean.
The project, according to Sarah, aims to 'share the rich history and stories of Mauao through new wayfinding signage and cultural touchpoints across Tauranga”.
Following the council's call on families to get in touch last week, Tauranga residents have expressed their frustration with the decision in the SunLive comments and on social media.
One reader told SunLive it was a move which 'shows no common sense or empathy to how this will affect the families of the memorialised”.
Another SunLive reader called the move 'disgusting”.
Tauranga City Council is encouraging anyone with a memorial seat on Mauao that they haven't been able to contact to reach out to the Mauao Ranger, Josh Clark on 07 577 7000.
7 comments
Step back.
Posted on 08-11-2022 13:17 | By morepork
I'd like answers to the following questions, please: 1. What harm were these benches doing to the environment? 2. Everyone was OK with the concept 20 years ago because it saved the Council money in providing benches. What changed? Is Council now less concerned about spending our money? 3. How does removing a memorial plaque improve the functioning of the bench? 4. Why would this be done without public consultation and due respect for the memorials? It's OK to say: "we don't want to allow this any more" but that does not require the removal of existing memorials. This whole issue has been approached without proper deference or respect or empathy to the families concerned. Giving back the plaques and benches is almost adding insult to injury (unless the families request it.) The Council were happy enough to get the donation when it was given...
Yes, it is disgusting.......
Posted on 08-11-2022 15:27 | By Bruja
and utterly unnecessary and disrepectful. It doesn't make any sense whatsoever. WHY do they need to be removed? When I rang Josh Clark he told me that to have the benches there, with memorial plaques attached IMPLIED a 'level of ownership' by people other than the rightful owners. I spoke recently with a neighbour about the issue and she said that the Iwi/s would be most unhappy with this action.
Totally Agree with Morepork
Posted on 08-11-2022 19:42 | By Yadick
Come on Council AND Iwi, answer the questions.
Disgusting
Posted on 08-11-2022 21:22 | By Larny
What an absolute shocking thing to do to those families. It won't be long and the camping ground will be takin away too!!
Paranoia.
Posted on 09-11-2022 11:37 | By morepork
Bruja says he was told that having memorials IMPLIES ownership. It does no such thing. I inderstood the sensitivity of Tangata whenua regarding "ownership" at the time, and I understand it now. But to be so OBSESSED with "ownership" that allowing memorials for local people diminishes that mana somehow, is simply wrong. In the final analysis NO-ONE can OWN the land; it was here before all of us and will be here after all of us. We are simply caretakers. The "return" of Mauao by the Crown to iwi was a proper action and returns the mana whenua that was lost. However, causing this distress and disrespect diminishes that mana and shames the iwi. To be so paranoically obsessed about "ownership", has nothing to do with mana. Was this discussed on the marae? Was the mana of tauiwi even considered? Aroha for ALL our people would allow the memorials.
Hmmmmmm
Posted on 09-11-2022 12:25 | By Hmmmmm
This is a reflection of middle government not respecting the thoughts and feelings of the people who pay there salaries. As more pork asked what harm are the plaques and seats doing?. I'm sure if there was iwi plaques etc up there it would not even be happning. As more pork stated they didn't have to pay for them and obviously they are there for a significant reason!! Has our council lost human empathy or has pressure from local iwi forced there hand?? Hmmmmmm
Respect for pakeha history?
Posted on 10-11-2022 09:05 | By Mark Smale
I often visit the Mount and walk that wonderful track around the base of Mauao. Those memorial seats provide welcome places to sit and enjoy the amazing views. We respect Maori history, so why cannot pakeha history be respected as well? People of all races have been enjoying Mauao for the past century. Why does this little - harmless - piece of recent history now count for nothing?
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