Friends of Regional Parks Condemn the Government’s Point England Development Bill

The Friends of Regional Parks (FOR Parks) joins with Save our Reserves, Federated Mountain Clubs and Auckland Council, in condemning the National Government’s Point England Development Enabling Bill that takes part of the reserve for housing development.

President Bronwen Turner says, “Taking large parcels of much needed open space is not the way to address Auckland’s requirements for low cost housing“.

“Auckland’s rapid population growth requires more recreation land to maintain quality of life for everyone, especially in areas with intensified housing, not short term shedding of essential open space assets”.

Compulsory acquisition by the Government of reserve land makes a mockery of a reserve that was vested to all peoples of New Zealand by Act of Parliament in 1946.

FOR Parks condemns the revocation of the Reserves Act 1977 protection for the land, and dispensing of the appropriate Resource Management Act public process in order to speed this development, which will benefit the few, not the many people in Tāmaki.

FOR Parks joins Auckland Council in concern over Government micro-management and intrusion into local planning decisions relating to reserves under Council’s legal jurisdiction.

The Friends of Regional Parks is also concerned that the proposed treaty settlement aspect of the Bill has been negotiated in secret outside the normal treaty settlement processes without broad community input.

Passage of the Bill not only destroys the integrity of the historic reserve land, it serves as a dangerous precedent for central government acquisition of other public reserve land without due public consultation and circumventing the RMA process.

Background

The Friends of Regional Parks (Auckland) Inc (FOR Parks) was formed in 2010 with the objective of supporting the city’s Regional Park network - a vital asset that enhances the health of Auckland’s residents and the region’s biodiversity. Our membership includes Auckland residents and community organisations and is supported by the Federated Mountain Clubs. In presenting this Media Statement it represents approximately 30,000 New Zealanders.

FOR Parks 50 year Vision and Values Plan for Auckland Regional Parks was presented to Auckland Council in 2016.

ENDS

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