21th April 2017

Leading broadcaster slams Government land grab

Leading sports broadcaster Peter Montgomery has strongly condemned Government plans to rezone part of a major Auckland reserve into residential housing as a ‘land grab’ that if allowed to proceed will “set a dangerous precedent for all reserves in New Zealand”.

In a newly released video on Save Our Reserves website, Montgomery points out that for the first time in New Zealand’s history, our parks and reserves are under threat – not by possums or mining - but by housing.

The Government’s Point England Development Enabling Bill is currently before the House and if passed, will overturn the Reserves Act and the Resource Management Act and force Auckland Council to rezone part of a treasured reserve into high density housing. This is salt in the wound for suburbs next door to this reserve which are presently undergoing the biggest intensification and re-development in New Zealand’s history.

“Auckland’s population is expected to grow by a million people over the next thirty years. Turning our parks and reserves into housing is not an answer to this growth. We need to protect the parks and open spaces around these housing developments, if we do not, where will these young people play?” asks Montgomery.

Montgomery urges that this is a “serious issue for all New Zealanders” and asks concerned New Zealanders to sign the petition at www.saveourreserves.org.nz and make their voices heard on Face Book.

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