A hīkoi [march] organised by water kaitiaki group No Water No Future marched through central Whanganui to the Whanganui District Council. By Te Kakenga Kawiti-Bishara
The consent granted to Aquifer 182 Holding Company Ltd to extract water from a Whanganui bore is again being challenged by local iwi and hapū, community allies and rally groups.
A hīkoi [march] organised by water kaitiaki group No Water No Future marched through central Whanganui to the Whanganui District Council building on Tuesday to contest the application and present a petition to Whanganui Mayor Andrew Tripe and district councillors.
In September 2022, Aquifer 182 Holding Company was granted consent to extract and sell 750,000 litres a week of groundwater from an existing capped bore on land the company owns on the river’s east bank.
An appeal was lodged with the Environment Court in October by Whanganui hapū, stating it was against the bottling consent as a whole.
Tūpoho iwi chairman and Whanganui rangatira Ken Mair.
“This hīkoi is part of a continuing journey, the fight for the health and wellbeing of our water,” Tūpoho iwi chairman and Whanganui rangatira Ken Mair said.
“We will not sell our water, anonymous overseas party or not.”
Just under 4000 people, mainly local, signed the petition.
Those who took part in the march were invited inside the council building, where they filled the council chamber.
Image 1 of 5: Protestors walk from Majestic Square to deliver a signed petition to Whanganui City Counci and Mayor Andrew Tripe. Tuesday, March 21, 2023 Whanganui Chronicle photograph by Bevan Conley.
“This is the most full I’ve ever seen the council chambers in all my seven years here at council,” councillor Josh Chandulal-Mackay said.
Accompanied by a traditional karanga, representatives of Sisters of St Joseph, Sister Makareta and Sister Noleen, and No Water No Future handed the petition to Tripe.
One uri [descendant] of Ngāti Hinearo-Ngāti Tūera of Pungarehu and Parikino Marae, Te Kaharoa (Corey) Bond, who is one of many kaitiaki of the Whanganui River, said:
We’re moving ahead! It’s our customary right as Māori and descendants of this river to govern over our water. It’s as simple as that.
Mair said: “Where is the community voice? Where is the hapū and iwi voice?”
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, of Ngāti Ruanui, also attended.
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer listens to the kōrero in the council chamber. Photo / Bevan Conley
Children from Te Kura O Kōkōhuia were at the forefront of the hīkoi, carrying signs with tohutohu such as “Papatūānuku’s veins are not for sale” and “Water is the blood of the land”. After all, the kaupapa was about the future generations, one person said.
“Most of the kōrero from today, by our sisters of St Josephs, myself and others was to pass down to our younger ones, our future,” Mair said.
“We saw that the younger councillors, the under-40-looking ones, are giving their tautoko and full support to our cause. We can also see that our mayor is learning, but understands.”
This report was produced under the Public Interest Journalism initiative, funded by NZ on Air.
