15-year occupation at an end

Council contractors clear a Mangere Bridge site that has been illegally lived on since 1989. Picture / Richard Robinson

One man's defiance of a city council ended abruptly yesterday when the harbourside Mangere Bridge lot he lived on for 15 years was bulldozed.

Chris Murray was taken away by police and his buildings flattened yesterday as the Manukau City Council enforced an Environment Court ruling.

Mr Murray had lived on the strip of land at the end of Mona Ave in Mangere Bridge since 1989.

On it were several illegal buildings, including his home, and a number of caravans. Power came from nearby overhead powerlines.

The council became aware of Mr Murray's occupation when the owner of a nearby property complained in 1996.

Since then, the council has gone to the Environment Court five times over Mr Murray's occupation, illegal buildings, illegal reclamation of a stagnant inlet and failure to remove derelict cars and rubbish.

In 2000, his occupation became a political statement about Maori rights over the seabed and foreshore when Ngati Whatua claimed the iwi had native title to the land.

The Environment Court ruled in 2001 that the Crown was the owner of the land.

In November, it gave the council the right to clear the land if Mr Murray had not done so within four weeks.

Manukau City Mayor Sir Barry Curtis said the council would restore the land and it would become a public reserve.

Yesterday his neighbours defended Mr Murray, saying he had been no trouble on the street.

Janice Bullen said Mr Murray was a preferable neighbour to a factory on the land next to the lot.

"I know he did not have a legal right to be there but he never did anyone any harm. But they put up that factory there and didn't notify us other than with a public notice in the newspaper and who reads the public notices?

"We would rather have Maori-occupied land than that factory."

She said she would push for the creation of a reserve as it was land she had played on as a child.

Lesley Nicolson said Mr Murray had lived there since she could remember, so his eviction was quite sad.

Sir Barry said the legal battle over the land cost $180,000.

"It is outrageous that one individual can use the law as a stalling process while the ratepayer foots the $180,000 bill to have it resolved.

"The fact we were shackled by the law from acting swiftly is also a major concern to me."