Councillor slams mayoral meddling in Shelly Bay raru

The head of Wellington City Council’s Māori portfolio says the council needs to let Taranaki Whānui move ahead with its plans for Shelly Bay.

The council this month voted 9-6 to go through with the sale and lease of just under 1 hectare to developer Ian Cassels to enhance public spaces within the 350-home development.

Jill Day says mayor Andy Foster was out of line in helping Mau Whenua protesters erect a tent on the former defence base.

Mau Whenua objects to the sale of the land by Port Nicholson Block Settlement Trust, although the trust continues to partner with Mr Cassels on the cultural aspects of the development and has options to buy back in.

Ms Day says the council has worked with mana whenua for a long time on the project, and it’s important to support decisions they make about their settlement.

"For Taranaki Whānui Te Ātiawa, this wasn't a site they had identified as a wāhi tapu or somewhere that was occupied. They purchased it through the treaty settlement through commercial redress. All land is precious, it's a taonga, but this wasn't one they said was special and needed a different process – which they have identified many sites that are," she says.

Councillor Day says Mayor Foster was also wrong to try to change the votes of some councillors by showing them information which had already been disproved in court.

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