Huntly caravan park taken over by Maori protesters

The Waikato District Council is taking legal advice over a group that has taken over the Huntly caravan park and refuses to move.

The group, calling itself the Purerewa Tawhirimatea Hapu Inc, says the land on which the Lake Hakanua Caravan Park, in Huntly, is sited belongs to it. But the group has been disowned by the chief executive of the Waikato Raupatu Trust.

Chief executive Hemi Rau said he had never heard of them. He said they were a group of individuals pushing their own agenda and had no mandate from Tainui leadership.

The park has been the centre of debate within the Waikato District Council in recent months, after the council decided to close it, issuing letters to tenants telling them they had to move out.

Chief executive officer Gavin Ion said the council had decided to close the park, but after consultation with the Huntly Community Board did an about-turn, issuing a new lease.

He said the group had moved on to the park last Friday and the council was taking legal advice on how to remove them.

The group is led by a man calling himself the first Maori Governor Kuru Pounamu.

His wife Kereru said the group, from Ngati Ngau Ngau, had seized the opportunity when the council had discussed closing the park.

She said they had issued the police and council with trespass notices.

"We can have anyone arrested for coming on here. We know what our rights are and we are sticking to them."