Marina mischief
Over the last few years I’ve observed the interminable hiatus surrounding the development of Waiheke Island’s new Kennedy Point Marina with bemusement. An ongoing saga driven by objectors, detractors, nay-sayers and protesters – and I must confess I’ve not always understood their motives/methods.
Things descended to a new low in recent weeks, with construction vehicles being sabotaged, building crews/security personnel being abused – and activists deliberately (illegally) entering the construction site, potentially endangering themselves.
But perhaps the most cynical ploy of all came from the young lady who disrobed completely, entered the water and ‘insinuated’ her naked self against two gents in the water working on a cable. It’s hard to label this action as anything other than mischievous and provocative.
Protesting is one thing – why was it necessary to be naked? And in that naked state, why get close-up and personal with the workers? What sort of reaction did she anticipate? I suspect any sympathy she and her fellow protesters might have enjoyed evaporated right there.
Just to be clear: whether one is for or against the marina is irrelevant – the developers have secured the permission to build it. And they’ve jumped through plenty of hoops to acquire it – answering multiple challenges, consulting with iwi, appearing before various courts, modifying the marina’s design to meet concerns. They’ve also engaged a marine specialist to monitor the project’s impact on any blue penguin colonies. In short, they’ve crossed every ‘t’ and dotted every ‘i’ along the journey.
For protesters to ignore that permission is to ignore the fundamental environmental framework that operates in this country – the entire machine that is the RMA and the legal processes that underpin it. The machine churned away for years, but it delivered a result. Reasonable people accept that and move on – even if they don’t necessarily agree with the result. It’s called democracy.
In January this year something similar unfolded – on a much larger scale – when scores of Trump supporters invaded Washington’s Capitol. They too refused to accept the result of a democratic process – the US election had been ‘stolen’ from them. Their hooliganism was the complete antithesis of what anyone would have expected in the land of the free – and rightfully condemned by the rest of the world. We don’t need to emulate that sort of nonsense.
On a much lighter note, this issue is my last as editor – the mantle passes on to John Eichelsheim –supremely talented, hugely experienced, very knowledgeable – and above all, a thorough gentleman. I’ve absolutely no doubt you will enjoy the energy and vibrance he will bring to the magazine.
Happy Boating.