Posted on 23-9-2002

Demonstrations Against Ngawha Prison

On Tuesday, 24 September, support the Ngawha people who are opposing the
construction of the prison on wähi tapu:

~ Wellington - 12 noon at the Head Office, Department of Corrections, 44-52
The Terrace (next door to Starbucks);

~ Auckland - 12 noon outside the Auckland District Court, Albert Street;

~ Kaikohe - 2-30pm (appearance time) at the Kaikohe District Courthouse.

If you are somewhere else, you can still support the Ngawha people:

1) Please write to Mark Gosche (Minister of Corrections) about the prison
construction work - a summary of background information and contact details
are included below. He is currently reviewing the decision, and will be
meeting with the Ngawha people on 26 September, so letters in support of
stopping the prison would be particularly useful at this time. More
detailed information is available on-line at
www.converge.org.nz/pma/ngawha.htm

2) If you wish, you can join some of the Ngawha people, including Riana
WiHongi, who will be fasting and praying on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday
in preparation for their meeting with Mark Gosche on Thursday. The desired
outcomes of the meeting are: that Mark Gosche will be open to fully
reviewing the decision to build the prison at Ngawha and will stop work on
the site immediately; that he will hear the voice of the people and stop
the construction of the prison on wähi tapu; and that he will commit
himself to taking the opportunity being offered to work with Ngä Puhi on
their vision of positive ways forward for the future - for the children and
the land.

Background information

When the Northland Regional Council refused to give resource consent for
the construction of the prison on wähi tapu at Ngawha on spiritual and
cultural grounds, Matt Robson (then Minister of Corrections) appealed
against the ruling.

The Environment Court overturned the Northland Regional Council's decision
- ignoring the physical instability of the site, and ruling that the Court
could deal only with things secular and that Maori spiritual and cultural
beliefs were irrelevant. This shameful decision has now been supported by
the High Court. It is a disgraceful breach of the Resource Management Act
which states:

"all persons exercising functions and powers under it [the Act], in
relation to managing the use, development, and protection of natural and
physical resources, shall take into account the principles of the Treaty of
Waitangi (Te Tiriti o Waitangi)." RMA, Section 8.

The Environment and High Courts should be stopping the desecration of wähi
tapu, not making decisions which approve dishonourable destruction.

Dangerous mercury released into drinking water supplies

Construction work on the site is increasing the levels of mercury in the
Ngawha stream which runs into the Waiaruhe River, then into the Waitangi
River - where Waitangi and Paihia residents get their drinking water.

Northland Regional Council announced on 3 June that "the Department of
Corrections has been told to halt all major earthworks on the construction
site" during the winter months, May to October, but work continues.

On 10 June the 'Northern Advocate' reported that "mercury levels in the
stream had reached a 'trigger level' of 5.4 parts per billion, compared
with the 'satisfactory' level of two parts per billion." Since June heavy
rainfall and rising ground water levels have increased the runoff from the
site resulting in more mercury contamination. Mercury is extremely toxic
and its release into the environment is a major health hazard.

Act now for Ngawha! What you can do

* Write to the Minister of Corrections, Mark Gosche, congratulating him on
his decision to review the decision; demand that the work on the
construction site be stopped immediately, and that the prison must not be
built at Ngawha. Contact details: fax (04) 495 8468,
mgosche@ministers.govt.nz or write to him at Parliament Buildings,
Wellington (no stamp needed).