Whakapara community gears up for direct action against mining company

Ngāti Hau Anti-Mining Group & MineWatch Northland

Friday 22 April 2016

Last night more than thirty people from the Whakapara district gathered together for a community action training workshop to stop Evolution Mining Ltd extracting gold at Puhipuhi.

“There’s a really strong unity which came through loud and clear at the workshop. We had people from all walks of life, Māori and Pākehā, from farmers, community workers, musicians, to our whanaunga from Ngāti Wai – and they’re all on board for direct action” said Vaughan Potter, spokesperson for the Ngāti Hau Anti-Mining Group. “There was also a strong turnout of Ngāti Hau kaumatua and kuia who are right behind us all the way.”

Participants at the workshop covered a range of issues involved in direct action including setting key aims and messages, planning and organising, logistics, legal considerations, and media support, and were taken through a number of practical exercises.

“Participants loved the positive focus of the workshop – of learning more about what we can all do collectively to get toxic mining out of the district. They said they now had a sense of informed direction, and the organisers were really impressed with the high level of commitment that participants showed for collective action” said Tim Howard, spokesperson for MineWatch Northland.

“There’s been a big shift in people’s confidence – that we can take on Evolution Mining and get them out” reflected both Mr Potter and Mr Howard.

“One key message to emerge from the workshop that sums up our position perfectly was that ‘our water, our whenua is worth more than gold’.”

The workshop concluded with setting a process for coordinating a community direct action campaign which will be rolled out in the coming weeks and months.

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