MEDIA RELEASE 19 October 2011

***Embargoed Until: 8:00am Wednesday 19 October 2011***

*Pleas From Iwi And Residents Sees The Return Of Mana Waiariki*

The appalling response from the Government has forced an independent attempt to Clean Up the devastation that is the Rena Disaster.

A consolidated effort led by MANA Waiariki, supported by MANA Hauraki-Waikato and MANA Te Tai Tokerau will see tangata whenua from all over the motu join in to Clean Up the shores and ebb the flow of the black tide.

Despite authorities temporarily banning offers of voluntary assistance, MANA Waiariki candidate Annette Sykes says the despair expressed by Tauranga Iwi forces them to continue on with their mahi. “While it has been heartening to see the volunteer numbers swell from 1,000 to 5,000 almost overnight since we first took action, there is still frustration in the bureaucracy that Maori confront to defend their ancestral territories”

“It is unsurprising therefore that leadership from hapu like Ngati Whakaue in Maketu is developing practical strategies to deal with the lack of funding assistance and proper equipment specific to dealing with the crisis” Tomorrow sees the 2nd mass MANA Waiariki Clean Up, the beginning of their long term plan to aid Tauranga Iwi in their attempts to exert kaitiakitanga over their moana.

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