Fury over $10 million trust landfill backflip

from page 1 themselves,” he said. “We’re a Maori Land Court appointed trust, yet we’re just being worked over by the settlement trust. They have just gone ahead.

“The whole of Pakiri is up in arms about it because we haven’t been consulted.”

Fight the Tip executive member Michelle Carmichael said it was obvious that the environment was far from the leading motivation in the trust’s U-turn.

“With this clear un-environmental decision, Ngati Manuhiri Settlement Trust took a treacherous sledgehammer to years of united support between iwi and community over this proposal. Not just treachery between people, but with an environment and kaitiaki reputation of an entire culture,” she said.

“The system is wrong, because how is it morally right that a company and one mana whenua entity, without regard for others, can decide that $10 million makes it okay to pollute the very same environment (Kaipara Harbour) that is being restored with at least $300 million of public money?”

She added that there was still a “mighty and united force” remaining who would stand together to continue the fight against the landfill.

Jason Pou said on January 20 that NMST was not yet ready to make a statement. “They have been meeting with their kaumatua and kuia over past few months to discuss matters,” he said. “These meetings are ongoing and (they) would rather continue to do this in their own way prior to making a public statement.”

He added that a brief of evidence explaining the decision was being put together for the Environment Court. The case is due to resume on January 31.

Input wanted to improve freshwater

Northlanders are being encouraged to have their say on what’s needed to improve the poor state of local lakes, streams and rivers as part of a new regional Freshwater Plan. At the moment, around 95% of Northland rivers are graded poor or very poor for E. coli (faecal contamination) and 70% of rivers and streams have low levels of freshwater insects. Sediment is also a major contributor to poor water quality throughout the region. Northland Regional Council Chair Tui Shortland said there was a huge task ahead to meet new national minimum standards for freshwater quality and Council had been working with a range of groups to help develop the new plan. However, she said more input from the public was wanted before a draft was released later this year. “We’ve been set a challenge by government to improve the health of our freshwater systems and the Freshwater Plan will be our new ‘rule book’ for how we treat freshwater in the future,” Shortland said. “We want to know what people want to see improved.” The survey can be found at www.nrc.govt.nz/your-council/have-your-say/freshwater-valuesand-impacts

Pool sale warms up

The sale of the derelict Waiwera hot pools complex may be close. A spokesperson for owners Urban Partners says due diligence is in progress. However, she says Urban Partners is still some weeks away from making an announcement. The property, which includes the thermal pools and the aquifer that feeds the pools, and the adjacent bottling plant, campground and hotel site, went on the market in May last year. In total, the properties cover 45,680sqm. At the time, Urban Partners said they were looking to either sell or find a joint venture partner. The pools closed in February 2018.

Plume Café closes

Plume Café & Patisserie in Matakana is the latest casualty of the covid pandemic. After 10 years, owners Farida and Clyde Cooper have announced the doors will close on March 31. They say it has been a tough few years with covid, lockdowns and the overall economic impacts. Ongoing issues with finding kitchen staff, rising costs and the retirement of baker Heiko and resignation of manager PJ have added to the pressures of keeping the doors open. The kitchen has been closed since last year following the loss of two chefs. “We have decided it is time for a fresh new management to take over the facility with new ideas and new dreams,” they say. “We have had 10 wonderful years with the support of the community at large.” Cooper says the decision does not affect Plume Restaurant and Villas, in Sharp Road, which will continue as normal.

Bus patronage up

Mangawhai’s free bus has proven popular again this summer. Passenger numbers are up 19 per cent compared to the same time last year, and up by 136 per cent on the first summer (2019/2020). The bus service was initially trialled to help reduce traffic congestion and take pressure off carparking hot spots during the peak summer weeks. Additional stops were added this year at Mangawhai Central. Kaipara Council says passengers have been across the spectrum – young and old, visitors and locals. The bus will continue to run on weekends until February 6, with an extra service over Easter, April 7 to 10.

Road art

It may look like a new form of road art, but the residents of Quintal Road, Matakana, are not amused. The road has been almost impassable since before Christmas and repeated calls to Auckland Council have been ignored. The NZ Herald delivery service has already ceased, as the driver says he won’t negotiate the road in its current state, and residents fear NZ Post will be next. Resident Sally Greenwood is worried how she will get her haymaking crews and cattle trucks in. Residents believe the state of the road is a reflection of poor maintenance of both the road and the culverts. “Essentially it’s a drainage problem,” Greenwood says. When AT was asked for comment on Quintal Road, a spokesperson said “the team hasn’t heard anything about Quintal Road”. Pictured, from left, Morris Hodges, Peter Carter, Sally Greenwood and Sydney Carter.