MEDIA RELEASE

Democracy Action Launch Volunteer Map

WEDNESDAY 18 FEBRUARY 2015
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Democracy Action has today launched a map detailing Auckland Council’s controversial 'sites of value' to mana whenua. A rule in the council's notified Unitary Plan requires applicants carrying out work on 3661 sites of significance and value to mana whenua to obtain cultural impact assessments from one or more of 19 iwi groups.

Democracy Action Chairman, Lee Short, says:

“We've had dozens of volunteers photographing and documenting sites to ensure that the public are informed. The fact that some of the supposed sites appear to be located in former rubbish dumps, on the seabed or under buildings does not seem to have prevented the Council from implementing these controversial provisions.”

"The mana whenua provisions have the potential to pose a significant regulatory and financial burden on property owners in the vicinity of any of the 3,600 sites throughout Auckland, and the 2,000 properties within or near designated Special Ecological Areas”

"Democracy Action does not question the need to protect the archaeology of historical and cultural sites. What we do question is the process by which the Council has come to include these sites in the Unitary Plan. Officials have not investigated them, verified their locations or even checked that they still exist."

"Democracy Action is calling for the removal of the 3,600 sites of value to mana whenua from the Unitary Plan until each site has been properly assessed and audited. At the moment it is patently obvious that this has not been the case."

Auckland land owners are encouraged to check the map here.

ENDS

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