Frances Goulton of Whangaroa is calling on whānau to show their opposition to the Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Amendment Bill by hosting bonfire-style protests across Te Tai Tokerau. She is urging people to hold their ground.
“E hiahia ana mātou kia aukati i te pire. Mōhio hoki ana mātou, horekau te Kāwanatanga e whakarongo mai nei ki a mātou. Nō reira, i te whakaaro mātou he aha tētahi kitenga nui mō te motu, otirā, mō ngā hapū katoa – e tāea ana e tātou katoa ki te tū ki ā mātou ake whenua, taha moana, ki te huri atu ki te Kāwanatanga ki te kī atu ki a rātou, anei ā mātou whakaaro mō tō pire. Toroa te ture.”
Whānau across the North, from Hokianga on the west coast to Whangaroa and other communities in the Far North, are mobilising to take part, but Goulton is also urging people to act safely.
“Ko te ahi he mea nō ngā iwi taketake katoa, he momo reo [tō] te ahi. Nō reira, ko te ahi nei ka tukuna atu i te karere kua tae mai tētahi āhuatanga kāore i te tika mō Ngāi Tātou, mō [ngā] kaitiaki, e tiaki pai ana i te moana.”
Act Party leader David Seymour, speaking to the New Zealand Herald, compared the planned protests to “burning the book,” a reference to Nazi-era book burnings. Goulton rejected that comparison.
“Ko ia tonu tērā e rapu ana i ētahi kōrero hei whakapēhi nei i ngā whakaaro o Ngāi Māori.”
Fire and Emergency New Zealand District Manager Wipari Henwood says the fire risk in Northland is increasing as we move towards warmer weather, and there are increased winds this afternoon on the back of the weather event affecting the country.
“The Far North, Muriwhenua, is in a restricted fire season, and people will need a permit to light an outdoor fire. You can apply for one here at checkitsalright.nz. Anyone lighting an outdoor fire should always check the local fire danger and weather before you light. “
“Never leave the fire unattended: Make sure at least one person always stays with your fire. Make sure you fire is fully out, fires not fully extinguished can easily reignite in windy conditions.”
