By CATHY ARONSON
NGARUAWAHIA - Protesters against the Hampton Downs landfill are refusing to give up the fight and are planning a hikoi (march) to the Waikato District Council chambers.
The 34km hikoi, on Thursday, will start at 7 am from Laverne Orchards on Te Kauwhata Rd, off State Highway 1, and will arrive at the council chambers in Ngaruawahia at 3 pm to give Waikato mayor Angus Macdonald a list of grievances.
The council and Environment Waikato gave approval last year to EnviroWaste Services and Northern Disposal Systems to dump 30 million cu m of solid waste in the 87ha landfill over 25 years.
The landfill, near Meremere, is a $25 million project and will be the largest in New Zealand, taking rubbish from Hamilton and Auckland.
Seven people are appealing against the decision in the Environment Court on September 4.
One of the appellants, Brenda Maxwell, has also lodged an appeal to the Waitangi Tribunal.
She is asking it to recommend that the councils cancel the landfill's resource consent.
The Waikato River Protection Society, which is also part of the court case, has gathered more than 3000 signatures on a petition against the landfill.
Hikoi organiser Ann Epiha said she expected a large turnout to the peaceful protest march.
Mrs Epiha, of Ngati Naho, Ngati Hine and Ngati Mahuta, said local iwi and residents were upset that the council had allowed a dump so close to the river.
"We feel so upset that the river, our lifeblood, is being used as a toilet," she said.
"The hikoi will show the opposition to the landfill and we will not give up the fight against it."
Another appellant, Wendy Finlayson, said the council had ignored most of the submissions against the landfill but it would not be able to ignore hundreds of protesters on its doorstep.
Ms Finlayson said the cause had gathered momentum in Auckland because the dump would be about 500m from the river and only 2km from the city's proposed pipeline water supply.
Members from Auckland's Water Pressure Group are expected to take part in the hikoi.
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