If you were one of the over 900 people who signed this petition, you may not be impressed to hear that the Minister of Conservation has simply ignored it. She has not even acknowledged the receipt. Therefore a new petition conforming to the rules for petitions for submission to the New Zealand Parliament has been drafted. If you supported this petition and want the matter to be considered by Parliament you will need to sign the other petition as well.
https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/petitions/document/PET_93501/petition-of-craig-innes-save-east-harbour-regional-park
Since launching the last petition there has been a number of explanations for the circumstances surrounding the removal of the reservation status offered by the Hutt City Council:
-The Gazette Notice proclaiming reserve status for the Wainuiomata side was accidentally left off the title.
-The Wainuiomata side of the park was zoned Hill Residential in 2004 (despite the fact that the 1995 maps that had been put out for consultation had not shown extensive residential zoning).
The Council maintains that there is no plan to sell or develop the area. However, they have allowed developments of other areas including wetlands. Furthermore, they still refuse to release information on the plans for development of Wainuiomata, in defiance of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987.
The current government (including the Green Party, which the Minister of Conservation is a member) are supporting a new Bill before Parliament. If enacted, the great majority of local reserves will be available for development for urban expansion. The East Harbour Regional Park is merely one of a vast number of reserves around the country that will be vulnerable to development.
If you want to learn more, and most importantly if you want to make a submission on the Urban Development Bill, follow the links.
http://www.legislation.govt.nz/bill/government/2019/0197/latest/LMS290735.html?search=ts_act%40bill%40regulation%40deemedreg_urban_resel_25_a&p=1
https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/bills-and-laws/bills-proposed-laws/document/BILL_93361/urban-development-bill