Marina battle splits surfing town in half

Grant McIntosh has been fighting a battle against a new marina in Whangamata for almost 15 years. And last Tuesday, when Conservation Minister Chris Carter vetoed the planned marina, Mr McIntosh finally won the war.

But the battle has ravaged this peaceful seaside town.

Mr McIntosh, the former chairman of the Whangamata Maori Committee, can't show his face in many of the town's bars anymore - certainly not Pinky's on Port Rd.

"If he [McIntosh] comes in here he'll likely be smashed. There are some pretty angry people here," said Harold 'Pinky' Clark.

This anger is all because of a piece of council land - it's a salt marsh or swamp, depending on whose side you're on, and it's the site of the carpark for the planned marina.

Mr Carter says it's a salt marsh and in need of protection - that's why on Tuesday he overturned the Environment Court's decision to allow the marina.

That's more than $1 million and 15 years of effort from the Whangamata marina society down the drain.

And that's got Mick Kelly, president of the marina society, very angry. "It's pissed people off pretty majorly."

Big projects divide small towns and the 205-berth marina in the Whangamata Harbour has polarised the population. A recent poll found 66 per cent of residents for the marina and 20 per cent against. And the passions are heated on both sides.

On a walk around the land Mr McIntosh met Lynn and Bunny Garland. The Garlands are pro-marina but they don't know Mr McIntosh. The ensuing debate is civil but there is serious simmering tension.

"I've never had a race hate thing going on but now they're stopping it and half of them don't even live here," said Mr Garland.

"Who's stopping it?" asked Mr McIntosh.

"The Maoris."

"I'm Maori," he says.

He stops there but Mr Garland isn't the only one who feels that way. At Pinky's, the marina is a hot topic.

The punters have a lot to say. They're furious they've lost what they call a great investment.

The Maori theme is common. David Terare has fought against the marina from the beginning, and he now has minders to protect him.

Mr McIntosh knows he's not popular in some circles but insists he has more people on his side than it seems.

Paul Shanks, a surfer who's been in Whangamata since the 1970s, has been an outspoken opponent. He said supporters were angry because they were rich people used to getting their way.

Mr Shanks and Mr McIntosh decided not to go to the public meeting on the marina yesterday - they said they didn't want to be open targets.

- HERALD ON SUNDAY