Rena: Limiting reef damage behind decision

Kaumatua Te Ariki Morehu spoke of his support to leave the Rena on the Astrolabe Reef. Photo / John Borren

A Te Arawa kaumatua has defended his iwi's decision to support a resource consent application to leave the remainder of the Rena wreck on the reef.

Te Ariki Morehu, along with fellow Ngati Makino Trust representatives Raewyn Bennett and Joe Te Kowhai, yesterday spoke on behalf of Te Arawa at a hearing for the resource consent application.

Mr Morehu said the iwi made the decision to support leaving the wreck on the reef after seeking advice from Mr Te Kowhai, who is a commercial diver.

"It upset a lot of people ... but that's alright, that's their view and we have our own view." Mr Morehu said a lot of people had disagreed with the decision but no one had actually raised it with him in person.

"It's all on Facebook. They haven't the nerve to come and talk, "why did you do that".

"I stand here on behalf of Ngaiti Pikiao and Ngati Makino in support of the decision from our divers. I have a marae if anybody wants to talk to me, they can come to the marae."

Mrs Bennett said the iwi had been advised that significant damage to the reef would be caused if the Rena was removed from it's current position.

"Destruction of the reef would be inconsonant with our obligations as kaitiaki.

"It was a difficult decision to make, but it was approved by Te Arawa koeke (elders). The thought of further damaging the taka (sea rock) was repugnant to us.

"There has nearly been four years of damage to the taka. That's disgusting. It is time to leave it to heal ... In time it will get better."

Mr Te Kowhai said removing the Rena would provide an ongoing disturbance to the reef.

The removal of the stern would represent an unacceptable health and safety risk to contractors while the environmental noise from removal operations would have the potential adverse effects on marine mammals and aquatic life, he said.

"The main obstruction to the restoration of the environment is the ongoing clean up."

Mr Te Kowhai said he would want the divers to divert from their time cleaning up the remaining copper to the debris field around the wreck.

"While this is an aesthetic factor, it would make the area look more natural."