Listen Now: 
Download AudioA member of Mau Whenua believes its occupation of Shelly Bay has helped bring about a change in the direction of Port Nicholson Block Settlement Trust.
With PNBST agreeing to pick up the kaupapa of holding land formally, Mau Whenua felt confident to suspend the 24hr presence on the whenua at Marukaikuru/Shelly Bay but will continue protecting lands and rangatiratanga in the most effective ways possible alongside the Trust.
Wayne Makarini says he joined Mau Whenua because of concern the trust was just acting as a pass-through for crown land available under a right of first refusal, rather than hanging on to it.
He says the discussions with the new board leadership led to significant concessions.
“The focus has to be about the retention of Māori land, so that’s been a huge positive. That’s what’s enabled us to start moving things forward and having those conversations. It’s provided with a platform for the tuakana trusts, Wellington Tenths and Palmerston North Māori Reserves, to come to the table and start collaborating and working together, again with the aim to hold onto land and not have them alienated again.” Mr Makarini says.
Mau Whenua will continue with court challenges to the way the Port Nicholson member database was administered and to the board’s authority to sell land at Shelly Bay.
MEDIA RELEASE
SUNDAY 1 MAY, 2022 6PM
525 DAY SHELLY BAY OCCUPATION SUSPENDED
Today the Mau Whenua collective has suspended their land occupation of Shelly Bay.
525 days ago led by descendants of ngā iwi o Taranaki whānui, Mau Whenua began the noho whenua (land
occupation) in protest of the unauthorised sales of their lands to developer Ian Cassels of the Wellington Company.
Mau Whenua under traditional Taranaki practices, maintained a lawful and peaceful protest against injustice and the
invalid sale of their whenua at Marukaikuru/Shelly Bay and elsewhere in their takiwā (region).
An historic reconciliation between Mau Whenua and Port Nicholson Block Settlement Trust (PNBST) in recent weeks
has confirmed PNBST will maintain the kaupapa (principle) of rangatiratanga (self-determination) through holding
land and are embedding this in their strategic and formal documents. This commitment and unification of uri (tribal
members) was also marked by a ceremony at Shelly Bay on Saturday.
“We are continuing our protest against the invalid sale and unwanted development of Shelly Bay including through
our legal cases, however we will do so in the most effective way possible which may look different” says Mau Whenua
leader Dr. Catherine Love.
“The coming together of Mau Whenua and PNBST, and an agreement to hold the land, effectively means our main
objective has been realised and our occupation has been successful in that respect. As such, Mau Whenua have
suspended our 24hr presence on the whenua at Marukaikuru/Shelly Bay but will continue protecting our lands and
rangatiratanga but now alongside the Trust in other ways.” said Mau Whenua Kaitiaki Josh Parata.
Karen Parata of Mau Whenua states “The mouri of our kaupapa remains in our whenua at Marukaikuru and if there
are any transgressions of our kaupapa we, with our iwi will be there to defend it. Subsequently, Mau Whenua will be
united with the Trust and other mana whenua groups to work towards addressing the wider injustices we are facing
in order to benefit our people and communities”.
“We would like to thank the many people from the Miramar Peninsula, Wellington and around the motu (country)
who have supported the occupation. We urge them to continue the fight with us until Marukaikuru (Shelly Bay) is
back with its legitimate owners and these wrongs we face are put right.” said Dr Love.
“Shelly Bay has been the platform to highlight the wider issues of inequality and injustices that are created through
discriminatory legislation, a disastrous Treaty settlement process and actions of a few that disadvantaged many.
Our Settlement Trust holds the key to address the localised injustices we have been protesting here, however
ultimately, if central and local government Treaty partnership regulations such as the Treaty settlement process and
RMA had been fair, we would not be facing these issues currently and we are delighted that the Trust is now uniting
with us to address these wider issues Mau Whenua Spokesperson Shamia Makarini.
Mau Whenua, Taranaki whānui descendants and members of the local community will hold a final karakia at Shelly
Bay and exit from the site, 5:30PM Sunday 1 May 2022.
ENDS Media contact: Shamia Makarini 027 473 2016
RELATED NEWS
