‘Why do we keep having to come back?’ — hapū

Gisborne Yacht Club, Kaiti Beach Road Picture by Liam Clayton

The district council needs to do better,  starting today.

That was the blunt message from Te Poho o Rawiri Marae chairwoman Char Gibson as she voiced the adamant opposition of Ngāti Oneone to the granting of a lease of heritage reserve land to Gisborne Yacht Club.

The lease would allow it to continue operating from its Kaiti Beach site for another 21 years.

The Ngāti Oneone hapū had been displaced from its whenua for 93 years and its land should be returned, Ms Gibson said.

She was speaking to a submission to Gisborne District Council’s hearings committee on the yacht club’s application for a  land lease.

She was initially hesitant, telling the committee she expected the yacht club to present its submission first.

Committee chairman Councillor Tony Robinson said the hearing had been publicly notified and only two submissions had been received.

Neither was from the yacht club.

Members of the club were present at the hearing, but Cr Robinson said they had no formal rights to speak.

He later said the hearing was not an open forum for a debate.

Ms Gibson said that if land taken by the port and council was no longer required for the purposes it was taken, it should be returned to Ngāti Oneone as mana whenua.

She presented a brief history of the hapū fishing, whaling, swimming and using their historical land for cultural activities.

A marae had been moved for port development, “at the stroke of a pen”.

The hapū had “had enough” of the yacht club operating at various sites on Ngāti Oneone land for 77 years since its inception in 1946 or 1947.

It was time for council to act.

“Do not wait for us to come to places like this and face uncomfortable settings, time and time again.”

It was the third such sitting for the hapū in recent months.

‘’Why do we keep having to come back?”

“We’ve had enough of watching others enjoying our spaces while we are sectioned to 24 Ranfurly Street (Poho o Rawiri Marae) which is just under an acre of land that we bought.”

The land should be returned, and it was the business of Ngāti Oneone to determine what it should be used for.

The other submitter, Yvonne Bishop, gave a predominantly historical presentation, from Kupe to European settlement.

She had never seen the yacht club “be involved” or “contribute to our people”.

“Our people are displaced.

“That little piece of whenua is the only bit we have left.”

Gisborne Yacht Club seeks a new lease to cover the footprint of their buildings and land area directly outside that the club use (equating to approximately 1773.62 m2.)

The boat ramp area is not included in the newly sought lease.

The hearings committee is due to present a submission deliberation report and recommendation to a full meeting of council on October 12.

The other two hearings committee members are councillors Debbie Gregory and Teddy Thompson.