Council ‘shouldn’t be spectators’

A Waikato hapu¯ occupying disputed land says the council should stop being ‘‘spectators’’ in a conflict with housing developers.

But Waikato District mayor Allan Sanson says he’s no longer getting involved after the hapu¯ rejected a possible deal last year.

The Protect Pukeia¯ hua movement, led by Nga¯ ti Tamainupo¯ , wants to preserve historic ma¯ ra kai (food gardens or food pits) on Great South Road. The section, with seven food pits, has been set aside for housing since 2016. Perjuli developers has it earmarked for stage 6 of the River Terraces development. The hapu¯ has been protesting against destruction of the pits since May

2020, when Perjuli started excavating the site. A small group is currently occupying the site 24 hours a day.

Ngati Taimainupo¯ chairwoman Kimai Huirama told Stuff they were protecting taonga under threat.

The mara kai fed the historic

Pukeia¯ hua Pa¯

300 years ago and link to the naming of

Nga¯ ruawa¯ hia, when 17th century chief Ngaere called out ‘‘wa¯ hia nga¯ rua’’ or ‘‘break open the food pits’’, Huirama said.

Many borrow pits had been destroyed in previous housing developments and the rest needed to be preserved for the community, she said.

In February, independent commissioner Mike Savage cancelled Perjuli’s consent to excavate the land because it did not include details of the hapu¯ ’s concerns in its application. Perjuli has appealed that decision to the Environment Court.

Huirama said the council should have consulted with Nga¯ ti Tamainupo¯ in 2016 before it rezoned significant land.

The hapu¯ had correspondence with the council dating back to 2016 over the issue, Huirama said.

‘‘Who is going to compensate hapu¯ for that lost taonga? Because we were simply kept out of the process despite our best efforts to be at the table and talk about their significance’’.

But Sanson said he was staying out of the issue, which was between the developers and Nga¯ ti Tamainupo¯ .

He said he didn’t ‘‘have any records’’ of hapu¯ signalling its interest in the land when it was rezoned in 2016.

Sanson said the council worked with Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta, Perjuli and Nga¯ ti Tamainupo¯ to offer a solution to jointly buy back a portion of the land, but the hapu¯ rejected that offer.

‘‘I’ve spent a lot of time and energy trying to sort this out. With me, you get a chance, but you don’t get many chances.’’

The developers had rights at stake too, he said.

Huirama said Nga¯ ti Tamainupo¯ was presented with two offers and elected to buy back the whole site to preserve for the community.

She did not understand why the council couldn’t help the hapu¯ buy back the whole site, but said they were looking at their own fundraising options to reimburse Perjuli too.

Perjuli developer project manager Brent Glover told they could not respond to comment before the deadline.