Police arrest three at Waiheke protest
Police have made three arrests at a Waiheke Island protest against a marina being built.
A group, Protect Pu¯tiki, posted images of police at the usually quiet Kennedy Point area.
Inspector Dave Hines said police yesterday arrested three people in relation to trespass. He said there had been issues for a while between the demonstrators and developers.
Nga¯ti Paoa Uri is occupying Pu¯tiki Bay, saying it is “standing up for the mauri of our ancestral moana that we whakapapa to, ko Tikapa te Moana. Enacting our rights and responsibilities to protect our taonga from the proposed marina, alongside the Waiheke community”.
The protesters say a digger has arrived to remove 25 rocks while korora¯ (little penguin) are present.
Green MPs Elizabeth Kerekere and Chloe Swarbrick are calling for work to stop immediately, and for Auckland Council to step in.
Kerekere said developers are breaching their resource consent and are damaging the habitat and threatening the lives of the penguins.
Some locals oppose the project, including Mainfreight founder Bruce Plested, who called the marine proposal a “disgrace”.
But Tony Mair says he has a valid consent to build a 186-berth marina.
Scott Fickling, Kennedy Point Marina project manager, said a few weeks ago that four trespass notices were issued. About five protesters were permanently camped out illegally, he said.