Māori Party candidate arrested in Hamilton land protest, Council claims it was a publicity stunt

A small group of protesters obstruct contractors trying to carry out survey work for a planned roading project in the south of Hamilton. Photo / Facebook

Māori Party Hauraki-Waikato candidate Donna Pokere-Phillips has been arrested trying to stop contractors drill holes on council-owned land destined for a significant roading project in the south of Hamilton.

But Hamilton City Council - which owns the land and is building the road - says the property is not part of an occupation and was a publicity stunt.

The small group of protesters, who have staked out on land outside the Shaw Bird Park for months, stood and lay on the ground until police officers either walked or carried them away into police cars after refusing to leave this morning.

One of the four protesters arrested for trespassing included Māori Party Hauraki-Waikato candidate Donna Pokere-Phillips, who live-streamed the event on her Facebook page.

In the video, Pokere-Phillips can be heard saying she refuses to leave after being warned she will be trespassed.

"Guess it's just me and this bloody machinery so they are going to have to take me out like that."

Another protester, dressed in pink, can be seen being carried to a waiting police car with officers carrying her by her hands and feet after she lay on the ground behind a truck.

Pokere-Phillips said in the livestream that it was about protecting their whenua and whakapapa and that protesters were upset about the road going near a pa site.

The survey work was being carried out on council-owned land and not the 50ha bird park owned by Murray and Margaret Shaw who are refusing to sell 1.9ha of it to the council. The matter is still being disputed.

Hamilton City Council strategic development manager Andrew Parsons said he believed today's protest was staged for a "media opportunity" on the council-owned land.

He said contractors were preparing for soil testing on a council-owned property when some people entered the work area without authorisation, and police took action when they refused to leave.

"We are aware of a small group of people who are claiming to represent mana whenua in Peacocke. We are guided by mandated local iwi representatives, who advise us these claims have no standing."

Hamilton City Council worked in partnership with a Tangata Whenua Working Group established to represent the interests of mana whenua and Waikato-Tainui, he said.

The designation for the Southern Links including the east-west road was developed through full public consultation confirmed by independent commissioners in 2014.

The council can acquire the land under the Public Works Act to build the east-west arterial road as part of the Southern Links network aimed at supporting residential growth in the area.

A police spokesperson confirmed police were present at Hall Rd at about 7.30am where a small number of people had gathered.

The people then moved on to private property, and after attempts to move the people failed four people were arrested for trespassing.

"The four people have now been formally warned and released. They have also been officially trespassed from the property."

THaWK (Te Haa o te Whenua o Kirikiriroa) chairman Sonny Karena, whose iwi group represents five hapus within the city boundaries, said while there were three pa sites within the wider Peacocke's development area, their concerns around those had been mitigated and those sites were being protected.

He said the protesters were claiming to be mana whenua but they "didn't have the right information".

Pokere-Phillips posted a video a few hours after being arrested to tell people she had been released and was "fine". She said she had been on a number of protests but this was the first time she had been arrested.

"I'm fine and the campaign continues. I got a free lunch and the campaign continues."