MEDIA RELEASE

Hone Harawira, MANA Leader and MP for Te Tai Tokerau

MANA congratulates anti-motorway campaign in Mangere, Otahuhu and Otara

Tuesday 3 December, 2013

MANA is pleased Auckland Transport and the New Zealand Transport Agency have finally acknowledged what the rest of New Zealand has known for a long time - that Mangere, Otahuhu and Otara residents have been treated with contempt as Auckland Council transport planners have tried to bulldoze a new motorway through their suburbs. Yesterday the agencies agreed they should have consulted earlier and that's an understatement.

"They would never have tried the same bulldozer tactics in one of the flasher suburbs of Auckland" said MANA Leader and MP for Te Tai Tokerau, Hone Harawira.

The backdown is a credit to the new community group ROCC - Respect Our Community Campaign - which is leading the charge.

"I was delighted to speak at the opening of this anti-motorway campaign which was led by MANA candidates in the recent local body elections. And I'm thrilled that our candidate for the Auckland City Council Mangere-Otahuhu Ward, Roger Fowler, is the chair of the new community group ROCC which was formed to fight the motorway project."

Under ROCC the campaign is going from strength to strength. A petition with over 4000 signatures was presented to local MP Su'a William Sio last Saturday, and there are plans to extend the campaign in the New Year.

"MANA will continue to give its wholehearted support to ROCC's campaign" said Mr Harawira.

ENDS

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