21th April 2017
Leading broadcaster slams Government land grab
Leading sports broadcaster Peter Montgomery has strongly condemned Government plans to rezone part of a major Auckland
reserve into residential housing as a ‘land grab’ that if allowed to proceed will “set a dangerous precedent for all
reserves in New Zealand”.
In a newly released video on Save Our Reserves website, Montgomery points out that for the first time in New Zealand’s
history, our parks and reserves are under threat – not by possums or mining - but by housing.
The Government’s Point England Development Enabling Bill is currently before the House and if passed, will overturn the
Reserves Act and the Resource Management Act and force Auckland Council to rezone part of a treasured reserve into high
density housing. This is salt in the wound for suburbs next door to this reserve which are presently undergoing the
biggest intensification and re-development in New Zealand’s history.
“Auckland’s population is expected to grow by a million people over the next thirty years. Turning our parks and
reserves into housing is not an answer to this growth. We need to protect the parks and open spaces around these housing
developments, if we do not, where will these young people play?” asks Montgomery.
Montgomery urges that this is a “serious issue for all New Zealanders” and asks concerned New Zealanders to sign the
petition at www.saveourreserves.org.nz and make their voices heard on Face Book.
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