Jo Malcolm: Time to reflect on Erebus Memorial site opposition

Protesters set up tents and signage to show their opposition to a proposed Erebus crash memorial at Dove-Myer Robinson Park. Photo / RNZ, File

Opinion

The announcement from the Ministry of Culture and Heritage that the Erebus Memorial will not proceed in Dove-Myer Robinson Park is a welcome one.

It has been a privilege to stand over the past three-plus years with a group of determined, talented and resilient community members, mana whenua and Erebus families.

Irrespective of how we were portrayed by some, we have never protested an Erebus Memorial.

We objected primarily to the site selected, a process the Ombudsman found to be “flawed”, “unreasonable”, and the site itself “tainted”.

Opponents of the Erebus Memorial construction blocking access to the Parnell site. Photo / Michael Craig, File

We fought to protect a park and a tree, just long enough to allow the winds to settle and truth to be told.

Thanks to Papatūānuku/Mother Nature, the truth has been laid bare and common sense has prevailed.

There remain deep battle scars on all sides.

It has been overwhelming, exhausting and has taken a huge personal toll on many. Erebus families, mana whenua and community members have been pitted against each other. Unnecessary hurt inflicted. Thousands and thousands of hours and millions of dollars wasted, because those in power chose not to listen.

Our fight to save and protect Te Hā is over. We have plenty of courageous people to thank for that. What started with Anne Coney’s lone but determined voice in April 2019, amplified by the incredible Dame Naida Glavish, has taken us all on a journey that has taught us more about ourselves than any of us ever thought possible.

What started with one brave woman has ended with a diverse group of many. As the winds settle in the aftermath of battle, hopefully, lessons are learned.

My hope is that the Erebus families can move forward together, forgive and heal. This process uncovered hurt that was at times shocking, brutal and raw. Forty-two years is too long for trauma to go unattended.

I hope those that need it get the help necessary to finally put that burden down.

I hope the right home is found for this important memorial and it settles where it is meaningful, connected, respected and wanted.

I hope Margaret Brough and other brave Erebus families who have stood up and spoken out against this project are not villainised, but instead recognised for their courage and bravery.

I hope all those in the community who are prepared to do what it takes to protect what they love take heart from this. Kia kaha.

We are stronger together, even if we don’t always agree.

The support from all of you has been humbling. I hope we properly engage in local body elections. They matter so much more than we realise, and currently, voter turnout is appalling. That must change. Your parks and your community depend on your vote.

I hope mana whenua across the motu feel more empowered in their role of kaitiaki and act responsibly to protect what exists.

Dame Naida Glavish is an incredible example of doing the right thing, no matter the personal consequences.

I hope NZ Police’s Māori liaison team get deployed more often. They are remarkable people, whose counsel, support, and proactive intervention kept our rōpu calm and full of mana.

I hope Auckland Council and the Government take the lessons offered and never again rush a process for political gain. It is always better to get the right outcome, even if that takes more time and disappoints a handful.

I hope those of us who have had our eyes opened to the beauty of te ao Māori, who have seen what could be if we leave our prejudice behind and approach issues with an open heart, hold on to that and apply those lessons for the rest of our lives. Aotearoa New Zealand will be better for it.

I hope my family forgives me for the three and a half years I have put them through.

Jo Malcolm. Photo / Michael Craig

I hope my husband can grieve his dad on November 28 again, in his own way, without this hanging over him.

I hope I can sit in the arms of Te Hā, with my new friends and whānau, breathe in his magic and look out to the sparkling waters of the Waitematā uninterrupted and at peace.

I hope that finally this special place and this incredible tree are protected as they always should have been, and no one ever has to fight to protect him or this whenua again.

We all need to own our part in this chapter of the Erebus story. If we learn the lessons available, then it will have been worth it. I hope we can.

Te rangimārie aroha tūmanako.

Jo Malcolm writes as a person involved in the opposition to the Erebus Memorial, on behalf of her family, an Erebus family, and as a member of the community.