Northern Advocate
  • Northern Advocate home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Sport
  • Property
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Sport
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings

Locations

  • Far North
  • Kaitaia
  • Kaikohe
  • Bay of Islands
  • Whangārei
  • Kaipara
  • Mangawhai
  • Dargaville

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • Kaitaia
  • Whangārei
  • Dargaville

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Northern Advocate

Maori raise road issue

By Mike Barrington
Reporter·Northern Advocate·
21 Jan, 2016 01:30 AM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

NZTA visits Poroti marae to engage over a proposed highway: communications adviser Kelli Sullivan (left), senior network manager Ed Varley, safety and network performance manager Tim Crow and bridge maintenance contract manager Nick Coxhill. Photo / Michael Barrington

NZTA visits Poroti marae to engage over a proposed highway: communications adviser Kelli Sullivan (left), senior network manager Ed Varley, safety and network performance manager Tim Crow and bridge maintenance contract manager Nick Coxhill. Photo / Michael Barrington

Maori along the proposed State Highway 15 route on Mangakahia Rd want to formally engage with the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) "right from the start", rather than when the redesignated road is carrying about 900 heavy vehicles daily past their marae.

A NZTA team of six met at the Poroti marae on Saturday with about 30 people from some of the eight marae along the proposed 95km SH15 from the Te Pua Rd junction with SH1 at Te Ahuahu north of Kaikohe, to Marsden Point via Mangakahia Rd, Otaika Valley Rd, and a redesignated section of SH1 from the Portland turnoff to Ruakaka and the port.

Kaumatua provided a brief account of the historic Maori trade route through Poroti linking the Whangarei and Hokianga harbours, then NZTA Auckland and Northland safety and network performance manager Tim Crow introduced the agency team, explaining they were gathering information to progress the creation of SH15.

NZTA has set aside $15 million from its national roading fund budget for the project and Mr Crow said the agency taking over maintenance of the route from the Far North and Whangarei district councils would free council funds for other uses.

SH15 provides logging trucks access to about 50,000ha of production forest and Pari Walker, of Otaika Valley Rd, told the agency staff the route had been designed just for people using the port at Marsden Point.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

He wanted to know if another route using Whatatiri Rd had been considered and other speakers also questioned the proposed route, with one kuia insisting the new state highway should run south through Pipiwai, Kamo and Whangarei to the port.

Paul Edwards, of Poroti, feared increased road safety issues outside Poroti Primary School and pollution of the Poroti Springs reserve.

Tane Te Rangi, of Pakotai, said the Mangakahia Valley had been exploited since the days of kauri timber and gumdigging.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"We all support progress and would prefer working with NZTA from the beginning rather than endure the battle Wright Rd residents have had over the dust problem on their road," he said.

Mr Te Rangi was supported by others calling for marae involvement "right at the sharp end" rather than "waiting for feedback". A kaumatua group was suggested for engagement with NZTA and there were calls for local people, rather than outside contractors, having an opportunity to work on the redesignated road.

NZTA Northland and Auckland media manager Sarah Azam said about 4500 vehicles now used the southern end of the proposed SH15 route daily.

"There isn't a breakdown for logging trucks, but heavy vehicles make up around 20 per cent of the traffic," she said.

Discover more

Locals left to clear beach-party mess

20 Jan 09:02 PM
New Zealand

Watch: Jetskier almost smashes into boat

20 Jan 11:25 PM

Teenager builds own NZ Minecraft contest

20 Jan 11:30 PM

Council to patrol dogs on beaches

21 Jan 01:30 AM
Save

    Share this article

Latest from Northern Advocate

Northern Advocate

256-year-old anchor found after 43 years, confirming historic discovery

Northern Advocate

'Will it take someone to die?': 85yo's fears after home demolished by airborne car

Northern Advocate

'Economic growth is key': Luxon discusses Northland's potential with iwi


Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Northern Advocate

256-year-old anchor found after 43 years, confirming historic discovery
Northern Advocate

256-year-old anchor found after 43 years, confirming historic discovery

The 256-year-old anchor was rediscovered after vanishing for 43 years.

17 Jul 09:02 PM
'Will it take someone to die?': 85yo's fears after home demolished by airborne car
Northern Advocate

'Will it take someone to die?': 85yo's fears after home demolished by airborne car

17 Jul 05:00 PM
'Economic growth is key': Luxon discusses Northland's potential with iwi
Northern Advocate

'Economic growth is key': Luxon discusses Northland's potential with iwi

17 Jul 06:02 AM


Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

06 Jul 09:47 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • The Northern Advocate e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Northern Advocate
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The Northern Advocate
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP