Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
Do not let sewage on our sacred lands or in our rivers.
This is the challenge of the Ratepayers Association
to the Wairoa and Hawke's Bay councils.
The Environmental Court heard submissions today on the matter
at Kahungunu Marae. Irena Smith reports.
The Mahia community opposes the pollution of their lands.
This Environment Court hearing has been running for three days.
Today the local iwi made their submissions on their marae.
Those lands are all sacred.
The proposed site is on the Whangawehi River,
where our seafood stocks are situated.
That's why we are opposed.
The issue is letting sewage from tourists in Mahia
onto their lands and in their river of Whangawehi.
The scheme includes building a sewage line over the Hikairo Cliffs
to a treatment site at the heads of the Whangawehi Catchment.
This isn't the first time
the council's sewage scheme has been opposed.
The first was opposed by Ngati Rakato.
The protests are much the same,
but the Environment Court will make the ruling.
We've all come of our own accord to express our thoughts and feelings
to the Environment Court in this setting.
The hearing is expected to end by the end of the week.
Irena Smith, Te Karere.