Family area from raids funds

Tina Biddle, Akuira Te Moana, Mahiti Mariu (Tuhoe Hauora) Brian Takurua, Deputy Chair of Te Komiti o Runa, Whakatane mayor Tony Bonne, Diane Yalden, Chair of Taneatua Community Board, Joshua Kalan Police Iwi Liaison Officer, Councillor Andrew Illes, Luke Ruiterman deputy chairman for Taneatua Community Board, Constable Richard Thrupp, Wioke Biddle, Ponte Hauwaho. Children from Taneatua School in the foreground.

Funds donated to Eastern Bay of Plenty Maori following the Tuhoe Raids in 2007 have been put to good use and will have a lasting positive use for local children.

The Jack Knowles Reserve in Taneatua was recently officially opened, following work on the project for nearly two years.

A joint Tuhoe - Te Uru Taumatua and Whakatane District Council project, the playground has been progressively redeveloped over the past two years into a family attraction for the wider Taneatua and Ruatoki areas.

It now features a barbecue and picnic facilities, a climbing frame and play equipment for little ones with a basketball half-court for older family members.

Ngai Tuhoe wanted to use donations after the 2007 Ruatoki police raids to create a lasting and positive resolution and resource for those affected, especially children.

"A playground seemed the perfect solution and it was great to be able to bring together the enthusiasm and knowledge of our kohanga reo and school leaders with the infrastructure expertise provided by the (Whakatane District) Council to create this special place," said Tuhoe - Te Uru Taumatua chairman Tamati Kruger.

"This is a start of other whanau gathering places across Tuhoe rohe."

The Tuhoe Raids happened on October 15, 2007 and saw armed police search properties in the Eastern Bay of Plenty, Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington and Palmerston North.

The police campaign, labelled "Operation 8", took place on the belief that some Tuhoe had collaborated with terrorist training camps in the Urewera ranges.

Dozens of people, including the elderly and schoolchildren, were stopped at checkpoints in Taneatua and Ruatoki. The operation resulted in 17 arrests for firearms offences nationwide.

The Independent Police Conduct Authority found the raids were justified but police acted unlawfully detaining occupants at five properties.

The Human Rights Commission received 31 complaints about police actions in the raids, and found innocent people had their human rights contravened when they were illegally searched and detained.

Police officially apologised to six Tuhoe families affected by the raids, including the family of activist Tame Iti, who served 30 months in jail on firearms offences following the raids.