NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather forecasts

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
    • The Great NZ Road Trip
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
    • Cooking the Books
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • What the Actual
  • 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 / New Zealand

Pt England reserve housing development opposed by Labour as 'land grab'

Nicholas Jones
By Nicholas Jones
Investigative Reporter·NZ Herald·
24 Mar, 2017 02:52 AM4 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

Opposing the legislation was a tough call given Labour's strong support for Treaty settlements, said housing spokesman Phil Twyford. Photo / George Novak

Opposing the legislation was a tough call given Labour's strong support for Treaty settlements, said housing spokesman Phil Twyford. Photo / George Novak

Labour has dropped support for legislation that would see public reserve land at Pt England developed for housing as part of a Treaty of Waitangi settlement with local iwi - labelling the move a "land grab".

The 300 home development has emerged as one of the most controversial local issues in Maungakiekie in election year and Labour's candidate Priyanca Radhakrishnan announced her party's opposition to the development along with housing spokesman Phil Twyford.

Maungakiekie is a marginal seat and Radhakrishnan will be aiming to wrest it back off National after current MP Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga announced his retirement from Parliament. National's candidate is Auckland Councillor Denise Lee.

Labour's opposition has disappointed Ngati Paoa, who said without the land there would be no Treaty settlement between it and the Crown.

"By opposing the legislation Labour is opposing a Treaty settlement bill - for the first time in the history of the Treaty settlement process," said Hauauru Rawiri, chief executive of Ngati Paoa Iwi Trust.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"All other iwi in Tamaki Makaurau support this transfer. Opposing the Bill pits the Labour Party against mana whenua of Auckland."

Rawiri said he urged Labour's Maori MPs to lobby colleagues on the issue and vote against their party if necessary.

The Point England Development Enabling Bill allows for housing development on 11.7 hectares of the 48 hectare Point England Reserve in Tamaki, east Auckland.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Ngati Paoa will have the right to develop the land for housing. A further 2ha is being provided for the development of a marae as part of the cultural redress of the Treaty settlement.

Ngati Paoa's planned development of about 300 homes could be under way later this year, and aims to have a minimum of 20 per cent social houses and 20 per cent affordable houses.

The rest of the Point England Reserve will remain as recreation reserve land alongside the adjacent Council-owned beach reserve.

The enabling bill is opposed by the Maungakiekie-Tamaki Local Board and the Point England Reserve Bird Sanctuary Group, who fear the development will affect about half of the dotterel nesting sites in the reserve.

Discover more

Kahu

Maori land bill to go ahead

30 Mar 11:00 AM
Opinion

How to save Pt England park - Labour

04 Apr 06:14 AM

When Labour supported the enabling legislation at its first reading in December its Tamaki Makaurau MP Peeni Henare said he was "extremely excited" about the opportunity for Ngati Paoa.

And Labour's Kelston MP Carmel Sepuloni said the party supported the bill because "we will support any piece of legislation that is going to be about building more affordable homes in Auckland".

"It does not make sense to use prime land for grazing cows when it could be used for affordable housing," Sepuloni said.

However, in a press release today Twyford said the legislation was a "land grab" that flew in the face of the local community's wishes.

"The Minister seems to think because some of the land has cows grazing on it, it's fair game to take it for housing. The community needs this land for future generations. Once it is sold for housing it will be permanently lost to the public."

Opposing the legislation was a tough call given Labour's strong support for Treaty settlements, Twyford said, but National had "completely stuffed it up".

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"They could have offered land the Government already owns which is right next to the reserve that is now part of the Tamaki redevelopment. Instead they're grabbing park land against the wishes of the local community which sets a dangerous precedent."

Henare told the Herald he supported Labour's opposition to the Pt England development, which had been debated and decided upon as a caucus.

"I'm getting a little bit annoyed at it being passed off as a Treaty settlement bill, because if it was it would have come to the Maori Affairs select committee for consideration, and it didn't.

"I get it - we need more homes in Tamaki Makaurau. But for the purposes of Ngati Paoa, why weren't they considered for any of the assets in the Tamaki Redevelopment Initiative."

Radhakrishnan said the city needed its open spaces.

"What has left the community upset and angry is the National Government has been secretive and underhanded. They never consulted with the community.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"I've called a public meeting on April 26 so people can prepare to fight this land grab."

Rawiri said Labour's position that Ngati Paoa was being duped by the Government was "supremely patronising and condescending", and assertions that other land was available were incorrect.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from New Zealand

Business

Why Marlborough bach owners face soaring power charges

09 May 04:10 AM
New Zealand

New $28m sport centre opens in Tauranga with family fun day

09 May 04:03 AM
New Zealand

Meet the solo mums who are not single parents

09 May 03:56 AM

One tiny baby’s fight to survive

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from New Zealand

Why Marlborough bach owners face soaring power charges

Why Marlborough bach owners face soaring power charges

09 May 04:10 AM

Marlborough Lines says remote properties can’t access low-user plans.

New $28m sport centre opens in Tauranga with family fun day

New $28m sport centre opens in Tauranga with family fun day

09 May 04:03 AM
Meet the solo mums who are not single parents

Meet the solo mums who are not single parents

09 May 03:56 AM
'How they do it in the West Coast': Man disfigures family dog in drunken attack

'How they do it in the West Coast': Man disfigures family dog in drunken attack

09 May 03:36 AM
Connected workers are safer workers 
sponsored

Connected workers are safer workers 

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
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • What the Actual
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven CarGuide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP