Papatūānuku Has the Last Word 
New Site Now Sought for Erebus Memorial

The Ministry of Culture and Heritage has called time on the site location of the controversial Erebus memorial in Taurarua/Mataharehare/Dove-Myer Robinson Park saying it’s now seeking a new site.

Dame Naida Glavish, who has led a large group of peaceful protectors opposing the proposed site reacted to the news with relief after the 180 degree turnaround by the Crown agency.

She has repeatedly challenged the Ministry for acting as kaitiaki of Culture and Heritage given the risk to Te Hā, the ancient Pōhutukawa tree and the whenua of Mataharehare-Taurarua/Dove-Myer Robinson Park.

“It’s been a team effort to defend a taonga that could not defend itself,” Dame Naida said. 

Community, mana whenua, tangata whenua and Erebus families have been united in their opposition to the 26+ metre long, 8 metre high, double walled concrete and steel structure that would’ve required 534m2 of earthworks.

The public campaign by Protect Mataharehare was backed by 24,000 petition signatures in a petition started by Erebus family member, Margaret Brough.

It attracted unwavering support by a community of fervent protectors who camped at the site and collectively advocated to halt the development despite repeated Rāhui breaches by the Ministry.

Now after three and a half years of concerted people power, Papatūānuku has had the last word. 

“To me what’s important for the sake of the whānau of Erebus is that the Ministry of Culture and Heritage should have relocated it from the start,” Dame Naida said.

“I feel extremely sad that we had to defend our tūpuna rākau, Te Hā from ourselves. There was minimal consideration, if any at all for the age of the tree that it was here before the signing Te Tiriti o Waitangi.”

“I have to say that my biggest disappointment over that tūpuna rākau is that the Green Party was nowhere in sight, so what are they about?”

“Those of us who successfully protected our tūpuna rākau are the Green party of this country. We were the heritage protectors. Those of us who were prepared to stand in front of a bulldozer.”

In a meeting today with Erebus families the Ministry advised that the site was not suitable after extensive slips occurred during the January and February weather events in Auckland.

The memorial has had a controversial history, with the Ombudsman calling the Ministry’s process “unreasonable” and “flawed” and the site selected “tainted”.  

Dame Naida reiterated that opposition was solely in relation to the site selected. 

“No one opposes a memorial to those lost at Erebus.  The site needs to be appropriate, and this sacred site was simply not”.

Thank you EVERYONE for all that you have done and for your enduring support, without which we would never have achieved this amazing result.

nga mihi nui

Margaret Brough, Dame Naida Glavish and all the Mataharehare Protectors