Maori blockade of camp ground road set to end

The blockade by a group of Far North Maori landowners of a road to a Department of Conservation camping ground at Matai Bay is likely to be lifted today.

Members of the local Hetaraka family and their supporters blocked the dusty, metalled Matai Bay road to the camp ground on the Karikari Peninsula, northeast of Kaitaia, at the weekend.

Their blockade on a one-lane concrete bridge stopped all public access to the camp and the rest of the peninsula, apart from locals and people already staying in the campground.

Whanau Moana members, whose hapu is part of Ngati Kahu, said the road beyond the bridge was private, ran across Maori land and was for landowners to use.

However, Ngati Kahu chairwoman Margaret Mutu, who went to the scene yesterday, said discussions with DoC had been positive.

Professor Mutu said the department had given an assurance that campers would be made aware that land surrounding the camp was privately owned and out of bounds.

Conservation Minister Chris Carter had said in Wellington yesterday that documentation clearly showed there was an easement over the road beyond the bridge which allowed legal public access.

He said it was "absolutely unacceptable" that a group of people should block the road and that formal advice of the legal situation would be issued to those at the bridge today.

They would be asked to leave.

If the group refused to move, "we will have to seek other action to ensure access to the public", Mr Carter said. Police would be instructed to remove the barrier blocking the bridge.

Mr Carter also denied a Maori assertion that the campground is on Maori land. He said it was Crown land managed by the Department of Conservation.

"If the protesters feel that isn't so, they can resort to the courts."

Group spokesman Alan Hetaraka said DoC representatives had been told at the meeting yesterday that they should hand over management of the camp to the Maori landowners.

"We said, 'Sign the camp over to me, then get in your car and don't come back'.

"We'll reopen the camping ground and manage it ourselves," Mr Hetaraka said.

"They went away with a clear message to take to their powers-that-be. The ball's in their court."

Mr Hetaraka said his people were the tangata whenua of the road.

"No one's come to us and asked for any change to that. The next move is up to DoC to resolve the issue."

DoC conservator Chris Jenkins said the department now had a clear picture of Maori landowners' concerns.

DoC staff would meet the group again today to see "if we can work out some commonsense agreement or options".

Mr Hetaraka said his whanau owned the land at Matai Bay, including the campground with about 90 sites.

The camp is almost always full during the summer months.

Mr Hetaraka accused DoC of using his family's property as a "cash cow".