Margaret Brough, daughter of Aubrey Brough who was on the Erebus flight, is siding with Dame Naida Galvish, saying she opposes the intended memorial site. Photo / Supplied
Margaret Brough, daughter of Aubrey Brough who was on the Erebus flight, is siding with Dame Naida Galvish, saying she opposes the intended memorial site. Photo / Supplied
An Erebus family member has sided with Dame Naida Glavish and other protesters in opposition to the location of the National Erebus Memorial.
The memorial is intended to pay tribute to the 237 passengers and 20 crew killed when an Air New Zealand flight crashed into Mt Erebus in Antarctica in 1979.
Margaret Brough, daughter of Aubrey Brough who was on the flight, has contacted Glavish and the Prime Minister today further stating her stance and says Erebus families are not united in supporting the location of the National Erebus Memorial.
"My observation at the 2018 Erebus memorial is the majority of families were against it."
Brough described the adverse reaction by the families gathered on the day the Prime Minister announced the site location.
"I, along with many other non-Auckland residents, had no idea where that is. A noisy discussion started with many people from the floor standing up and objecting."
Brough said she personally opted for Christchurch because the city has the Antarctic Centre.
"At the close of the meeting, afternoon tea was served and I chatted with many different people.
"Not one of them were happy with the chosen site. I also chatted with the Prime Minister who said, 'I'm hearing you'."
Brough said because of the number of people opposed to the memorial, it didn't seem right for it to be where everyone would hate it.
"Why would I want a memorial to my father who was so tragically killed at a place where it is not wanted?"
A Colmar Brunton Survey revealed 62 per cent of people surveyed were against the memorial's location.
"I haven't been to the park but I can imagine it would be very highly populated on nice days with the big population of Auckland.
"I cannot see any connection to Mount Erebus. I have flown around Mount Erebus and there is nothing more different than the mountain and Antarctica and the big city of Auckland."
Glavish, who led a group to occupy the pā site on Mataharehare Wednesday afternoon, said the area holds rich tūpuna history.
Dame Naida Glavish seen with a 180-year-old pōhutukawa tree on Mataharehare, the intended location for the National Erebus Memorial. Photo / Supplied
Glavish raised concerns for the integrity of the process, claiming poor consultation, misinformation and a lack of transparency.
"I believe this shows the hallmarks of a predetermined outcome by the ministry that was pushed through with the Prime Minister's blessing and the Mayor's help."
Glavish is hopeful for a hui in which all parties impacted can participate, to achieve an outcome that upholds the mana of the Crown, the Treaty partner, all Tāmaki and the families affected by the Erebus disaster.
