An economic lifeline for iwi
Taranaki Wha¯ nui’s proposal to develop our land at Shelly Bay has not pleased everyone, and we hear them. Some don’t like the idea of high-density housing, and fair enough too. Apartments aren’t for everyone. For others, it’s the construction noise and the traffic that goes with it. We acknowledge that.
We also hear those who say no development at all would be a better future for Shelly Bay. All we ask is they consider one more thing: a better future for the iwi, Taranaki Wha¯ nui, our children and our families.
No-one wants the history lesson, but the past
200-plus years haven’t been easy for us as a collective of iwi. We own less, we earn less and we achieve less than the average New Zealander. In
2009, we saw an opportunity to turn this around. The modest Treaty settlement we’d received several years earlier allowed us to buy, at full market price, disused Defence Force land at Shelly Bay.
The development of our land is therefore pretty fundamental to creating positive change for our iwi and greater Wellington. For the first time in our history, we have an asset that gives us a fighting chance to get ahead. Developing Shelly Bay will help us tackle the problems that have affected our wha¯ nau for generations – by providing better housing, better health, better education and meaningful jobs suited for the 21st century.
For us, Shelly Bay is about much more than the apartments, townhouses, village green, rest home, cafes and shops. It’s about rebuilding the economic capability needed for us to finally stand on our own feet, by developing our land – just like other Kiwis develop their own land in order to get ahead.
We did the right thing by talking to locals and working with the city council on a plan to develop our land for all of Wellington. Our proposal will generate around $1.5 million in new residential rates each year. It will earn the council a 100 per cent return on investment once the project is completed, and will continue earning that year after year – a smart deal for all Wellingtonians, by any measure.
But almost a decade on, our hands are tied by litigation backed by a small but vocal opposition. So to those of you who continue to oppose our plans, I say the following:
We share your vision for the future of Shelly Bay, and for Miramar as a whole. The area holds deep significance to Ma¯ ori, with history referring to explorers Kupe and Ngahue landing on what was then an island in the harbour, around 1000 years ago.
We want this special place to be somewhere we’re all proud of. A place with healthy stocks of kaimoana that can continue to be used by generations of all our wha¯ nau. A place we can all swim, picnic, cycle and enjoy this jewel in the heart of Whanganui A Tara.
So in return, we invite you with respect to share our vision – that of a Taranaki Wha¯ nui that stands proudly, independently and lifts itself into an era of financial, social and cultural wellbeing.
You have the power to help us make this a reality. It’s time to stop delaying the development and move forward to build a future that’s better for all of us.