Media Release Tuesday 19 th June

Protest/Sit-in @ Great Barrier Island... Day Two

Outside the Department of Conservation headquarters at Okiwi on Aotea-Great Barrier Island members of Society for the Protection of Aotea Community and Ecology, Aotea Poison Free and Mana Whenua have set up camp in protest over the coming Aerial Poison drop on Rakitu Island just off the east coast of Aotea – Great Barrier Island.

We have set up a meeting house/temporary Marae for the Ministers A document ‘Declaration of the Collective of Mana Whenua’ has been sent to several relevant Government Ministers seeking a meeting on Aotea with our communities due to the complete lack of consultation and communication relating to aerial poisoning of Rakitu by the Department of Conservation.

The drop is scheduled to commence sometime after the 22nd June.

Members of the public are invited to join the sit-in protest or to donate Kai/food to the protesters.

Society for the Protection of Aotea Community and Ecology/Aotea Poison Free have over the last eight months organised:

• Petition to 'stop the drop' which was signed by over half of the adult population
(in hard copy form and online)
• Held public meetings to discuss the subject which were all well attended.
• Met with D.O.C middle management on various occassions where D.O.C admitted failure in consultation with the affected local community but still persisted with their plans despite admitting not following due procedure.

Local Mana Whenua do not support this drop and we stand united, staying in camp, outside D.O.C until a moratorium is placed on this drop and Minister(s) named in the declaration document meet with the community in a kanohi ki te kanohi (face to face)

There are many benefits in finding a trapping solution for pests which are environmentally friendly, create jobs for the community, are humane and have long term benefits for tourism on our Island. And of course without using Poisons which have the potential to affect the Kai Moana and enter the food chain.
For more information

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