Hypocritical” Te Papa Chair Targeted By Protesters

Embargoed til 12 noon, 24 January 2018

Protesters are gathering outside Te Papa at noon today to demand that the chair of the museum, Evan C. Williams, is immediately removed from his position.

They say it is grossly hypocritical for Williams to stay as head of an institution responsible for the care of our natural and cultural heritage, while as a property developer he has been repeatedly polluting streams and a marine reserve in North Auckland.

The group, called the Evan C. Williams Removal Committee:

• Will display large photos outside Te Papa that show the enormous plumes of dirt and fine sediment pouring down streams and into the harbour as a consequence of Williams’ dirty development.

• Has printed a giant photo of Williams’ face with the words, “Te Papa Chair, Evan C. Williams, Marine Reserve Vandal”.

• Has produced a video, already viewed by tens of thousands in the last 24 hours, with footage of the damage being done to the marine reserve. https://goo.gl/PpUr3Y

• Will be handing a letter to the museum’s board demanding Williams is removed from his position immediately.

Group leader, Geoff Reid, who has lived next to the Long Bay Okura Marine Reserve for most of his life, says “Williams has been bulldozing sections for an exclusive housing development for years, ignoring our community’s pleas to stop the destruction of the local environment.”

“It’s disgusting that the head of our national museum, Te Papa, is lining his pockets by vandalising Our Place.”

“His dirty development is choking the life that is supposed to be protected here. He is polluting one of the largest estuary marine reserves in the country and harming one of the last untouched treasures of Auckland.”

Reid says the group will continue protesting and pressuring until Te Papa acts with integrity and removes Williams from the board.

ENDS

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