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