Maori upset by Mahia 'playground for the rich'

A group occupying a public reserve in front of a new subdivision at Mahia, south of Gisborne, say they do not want the peninsula to become a playground for the rich.

About 40 tangata whenua from Mahia and supporters began an occupation of the public reserve in front of the Blue Bay subdivision at Opoutama on Friday.

The group say they are occupying the reserve to highlight their feelings over the subdivision's impact on the area and people.

Despite the resource consent hearing this year at the Wairoa District Council that approved the 44-property residential area, the group said they would continue to fight the development.

"It's going to be a playground for the rich with all the costs borne by the tangata whenua," said spokeswoman Joan Ropiha.

Local people would suffer hardest from higher rates and the infrastructure costs for a reticulated water system. Mrs Ropiha also raised concerns that the public would no longer have access to the reserve.

"Most of the people who live in Opoutama will see their rates go up and it seems unlikely that they will be able to afford to pay," she said.

Green Party East Coast candidate Catherine Delahunty, in supporting the occupation, said that while the development was "theoretically legal" it was "unjust".

The subdivision was believed to have had a Treaty of Waitangi caveat upon it and Ms Delahunty said the Crown did not ensure the tangata whenua were aware that this land could be sold off as reserve land.

"The hapu would have bought those reserves if they knew they were for sale."

Ms Ropiha said the group would occupy the reserve until the election.

- NZPA