Ngāi Te Rangi’s maritime protest on Tauranga Harbour demands land resolution

Paora Stanley, in between Mauāo and Matakana during the peaceful protest. Photo / Whakaata Māori

Ngāi Te Rangi held a peaceful maritime protest in Tauranga Harbour yesterday to express discontent with the Government’s slow response to historical land grievances.

The hapū and iwi of Ngāi Te Rangi aimed to draw attention to longstanding issues that deeply affect their community, and seek timely resolution and justice from the Crown.

Ngāi Te Rangi chief executive Paora Stanley says the effort marks the beginning of an 11-stage protest plan.

He emphasises the protest is the most peaceful one they had organised so far.

“We have given the port authorities, the police and the harbourmaster, three weeks’ notice on where we are going to protest... and this is a real gentlemen’s one.”

Ngāi Te Rangi says the protest was to fervently advocate for prompt and decisive action in resolving historical land grievances with the Crown and, at this stage, its people are aiming to persist in their protests to safeguard their rights to their waters and land.

Stanley says the peaceful protest aimed to capture the Government’s attention so only needed one vessel to block pilot vessels from entering and exiting the port.

“We blocked the pilot boat coming in and out as a way of telling the Government that we are not happy that they have been lethargic settling our grievances, about how they stole our land,” Stanley says.

“We have been waiting too long.

“We have a Waitangi Tribunal case that says that you were wrong, you have suffered the biggest defeat for a very long time at the Waitangi Tribunal and now we need to get it along the way and start playing ball.”