Culture swamped by Port

Maori culture has been swamped by a tide of development since tribal lands now worth at least $70 million were taken for construction of the Port of Tauranga 54 years ago.
Evidence of the impact on Maori of Tauranga's huge growth following the opening of a deep water port at Mount Maunganui in 1955 was given to the Waitangi Tribunal last week.
Anthony Fisher, 51, of Matapihi, painted a picture of environmental degradation, erosion of cultural values and local authorities paying lip service to Maori concerns.
Mr Fisher, the general manager of District Courts with the Ministry of Justice in Wellington, addressed the Tribunal as a member of Ngaiterangi Iwi's Ngai Tukairangi hapu.
His evidence elaborated on a recurring theme during the final week of hearings into Tauranga Moana iwi's treaty grievances - how the destruction of the marine environment from the port and residential development meant Maori were losing their cultural identity.
Earlier in the week, solicitor John Neverman detailed research into the 37 hectares of harbourside blocks compulsorily acquired under the Public Works Act between Hull Rd and Whareroa Marae behind the fertiliser works.
He put the value at nearly $50 million but this did not include the increase in values since 2003 and left out six port sections without separate valuations.
Ngai Tukairangi's claim also covers parts of the Whareroa block taken under protest in 1940 for the 78ha airport.
The hapu says the land was never offered back to them when it was no longer needed for defence purposes.
No value has been put on its airport claim yet but the impact of all the Crown's compulsory acquisitions left the Whareroa Marae hemmed in by the airport, the Balance Agri-Nutrients fertiliser works and a oil company tank farm.
Mr Fisher said a key plank of Ngaiterangi's claim was that the Crown's actions in the use and development of the harbour had destroyed the iwi's relationship with the harbour.
There had been a dramatic reduction in the fish and shellfish that had been abundant within the lifetimes of elders still alive today.
The development of the port, including dredging, channel development and the reclamation of Sulphur Pt, had been at the expense of the iwi and traditional food gathering.
Adding insult to injury, Pane Pane Reef was dynamited to widen the entrance to the harbour.
It was the only mataitai (seafood source) in the harbour from which mussels, kina and other reef kaimoana could be harvested, he said.
Mr Fisher said that despite Ngaiterangi being a good citizen by attempting to use the planning processes available to it, its input into resource management planning had been futile.
Tauranga City Council's District Plan had generalised obligations to Maori but stated little about how to give practical effect to these obligations.
He said Ngaiterangi was not against progress.
"This is more than just trying to protect what land we have left, or about our ability to harvest mataitai from the harbour.
"This is about our right to survive as a unique people.
"I don't see any evidence that Ngaiterangi concerns have been accommodated ... if anything, the situation has deteriorated whereby Ngaiterangi aspirations are being swamped by a tide of ever-increasing demand for development and urbanisation," he said.