March 01, 2022
Get off our lawn says mayor
Auckland Mayor Phil Goff is ready to trespass anti-vaccination protesters camped on the Auckland Domain.
The group arrived after a march over Auckland Harbour Bridge on Saturday, and police have close vehicle access to the Domain.
Mr Goff rejected their claim to have mana whenua rights, as the area including the Pukekawa pā site has strong Tainui links and is now in the rohe of Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei – which has been heavily involved in the vaccination programme.
“Everybody’s entitled to protest, they can turn up every day of the week and protest at the Domain. What they can’t do is drive their cars up onto the Domain itself, erect their tents, and claim entitlement to do something no one else is entitled to do, that is you can’t camp on the domain, so I’m keen that we issue trespass orders and that they protest within the law, not outside the law,” he says.
Phil Goff says once the council issues a trespass notice it becomes a Police operational matter.