“When protestors occupied privately owned where 480 homes were planned at Ihumātao in Auckland the Police did nothing to protect the owner’s property rights and did everything they could to pander to the protestors, so is that how events will play out at Wellington’s Shelly Bay,” asks ACT Leader David Seymour.
“As we know, the Prime Minister stuck her oar into Ihumātao and cost taxpayers $30 million, and possibly more as Iwi groups now explore the potentially precedent-setting nature of the deal.
“In Wellington the High Court has just dismissed the claims of another group of Maori protestors who say housing shouldn’t be built on privately owned land at Shelly Bay.
“This is a carbon copy of Ihumātao. ACT says the moment any legal avenues have been exhausted the protestors must be removed and work on building the planned 350 homes, hotel accommodation, rest home and ferry terminal must be allowed to begin.
“Anything less will make a mockery of the rule of law and private property rights.
“ACT warned the Government the Ihumatao deal would embolden protestors and so it has. Today we have the group at Shelly Bay in the Dominion Post saying they ‘will do whatever needs doing.’
“Well of course they’re taking that attitude. They’re not silly. They saw how Ihumātao played out and they’ll do everything necessary to push the Government into the same outcome.
“That must not be allowed to happen.”
ENDS