Hauraki Maori Trust Board sympathises with Whangamata iwi

Media Statement 3 July 2008

For immediate use

The Hauraki Maori Trust Board says it understands, and sympathises with, the anger and frustration local iwi in Whangamata are feeling over the proposed Whangamata Marina.

Last night Trust Board representatives travelled to Whangamata to offer local iwi support and to seek resolution to the ongoing issues surrounding the marina proposal.

Trustboard Chairman, Toko Renata, said that the discovery of the endangered Moko Skink at the marina site is just the latest in a long list of issues and events that have left iwi disgruntled about the strength of the overall decision making process.

“For one thing we are concerned that the recently submitted marina plans have materially changed from those presented during the court hearings.

“There have been a number of changes and concessions, which, in our view, add up to make it quite different to what was actually approved,” Mr Renata said.

Mr Renata said even more problems were being created by the Minister of Conservation not yet making a determination on the foreshore and seabed land that the marina will be built on.

“That leaves us wondering if this has allowed a piece of foreshore and seabed to effectively be privatised and destroyed,” he said.

As we have said many times before! Hauraki is not opposed to a marina development in Whangamata, but we steadfastly maintain that the proposed marina is in the wrong place and now their plans are different.

ENDS

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