November 26, 2019
Demonstration an art form as sides talk past each other
Auckland mayor Phil Goff says he’s disappointed a group protesting the removal of trees from Owairaka Mount Albert is refusing to take up an invitation to meet the Tupuna Maunga Authority.
The authority says after the Protect the Maunga group turned down three times for a meeting, it’s going to show up on Thursday morning to take questions from whoever turns up.
Honour the Maunga says the authority is being cynical and manipulative, and it will hold a separate meeting elsewhere on the mountain.
Mr Goff says there is more to it than trees and birdlife.
“There are some people with I think genuine concerns in that regard. There are other people who are jumping on the bandwagon, it becomes Hobson’s Choice and then develops a bit of a racial overtone and there are other people there that are part of many demonstrations across the city and make an art form out of demonstrating,” he says.
Mayor Goff says while Auckland Council is part of the Tupuna Maunga Authority under a co-governance arrangement, people need to come to terms with the fact that Auckland’s mana whenua iwi are now the owners of the land.
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