Foreshore hikoi due in Auckland

A hikoi to protest at the Government's pending foreshore law is due in Auckland today. Photo / Hawke's Bay Today

A hikoi to protest at the Government's pending foreshore law is due in Auckland today and will cross the harbour bridge by car convoy.

It started at Cape Reinga on Monday and is scheduled to arrive at Parliament next Tuesday in time to oppose the final reading of the Marine and Coastal Areas (Takutai Moana) bill.

Numbers are down substantially on 2004 when 40,000 people protesters went to Wellington.

Organiser Rueben Taipari said he didn't expect anywhere near that number this time around. That hikoi started with 350 people.

The march visited Ninety Mile Beach to reinforce spiritual and historical links before they travelled south.

Mr Taipari said the response had not been fantastic because some felt it was inappropriate timing, and others couldn't afford the costs.

Te Hiku (Far North) kaumatua had asked for the bill's progress to be halted while the nation dealt with the Christchurch earthquake but its continuing passage had forced the hikoi, Mr Taipari said.

Maori in his region needed to express their disgust.