Thank you to all who have signed the petition- I think you have made a difference.
The recent release by MPI and DOC of their plan for marine conservation in the Hauraki Gulf shows a small win for our petition to protect democracy in NZ and save the coast of Waiheke Island for the public.
The 144 page MPI/DOC plan can be accessed here:
In summary the plan calls for a three year programme to implement 11 new “High Protection Areas” and 5 “Seafloor Protection Areas” in the Gulf. In terms of Ahu Moana, the outrageous idea to implement local iwi co-governance of the entire coast-line, the plan stated “this concept has mixed support and requires more work to understand potential application”.
I see this statement as a response to resistance to Ahu Moana by individuals and via this petition and as a win for now. We all know that if Ahu Moana “works” it would form a model for co-governance for the whole of New Zealand, which is why it is so vital we continue to speak up. The plan does provide for pilot projects, notably on Great Barrier, to test Ahu Moana, but nothing has been indicated at this stage for Waiheke Island. Yay.
In fact, there are no initiatives in the plan at all targeting Waiheke. Given that there are three separate proposals into MPI (The Waiheke Collective Ahu Moana plan, the Ngati Paoa rahui and the only one of any real worth, the Friends of the Hauraki Gulf proposal for a marine reserve) I believe our petition was a key factor in Waiheke being left alone, for now. However, it may be that the Waiheke Collective will make a bid to have a pilot run here so I will keep the petition alive and keep you updated.