With the page donors and some generous donations from local individuals we have covered our costs. We have also been awarded costs by the High Court. When that comes through, we will have a head start to continue fighting against the practice of marine dumping. Thanks to everyone who donated - we needed all your help to get this far. And we’ve done really well!!
Just this minute found out that WE WON our High Court case against CRL & The EPA. Stay posted for what this actually means - we'll get back to you in the coming week!!!!
Thanks to everyone who supported this!
Tino whakanui! Ngā mihi nui ki ngā kaitiaki. 🐬🌊💙
We are re-opening this page as we are in for a very long legal battle and need to raise more funds to go towards legal costs and other associated costs. Our first court appearance is set for 22nd July 2019 in Wellington. If you can, please donate and help us protect Atoea, Great Barrier Island marine environment.
We have a Protest March & Rally event, Saturday 6th July 2019, in down town Auckland. We would love for those able to come and support us!
Assemble at Takutai Square Britomart 11.30am
For more information follow us on Facebook
27th April 2019
Thanks to all those who have donated and are supporting us through this. A court date has been set for mid July. More information to come on this, at a later date. Below is an overview of the issues, written by Natalie Baragwanath on behalf of Protect Aotea.
OVERVIEW: PROPOSED DREDGE SLUDGE DUMPING OF CONTAMINATED WASTE FROM AUCKLAND’S INNER HARBOUR IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO GREAT BARRIER ISLAND/AOTEA
BACKGROUND
The inner harbour of Auckland’s Waitemata needs to be dredged – including the Ports of Auckland, the extension of the Cruise Port, and the Viaduct/America’s Cup village, along with several local marinas including Westhaven, Beachlands, and others.
The 36th America’s Cup is to be held on Auckland’s Hauraki Gulf between March 6th and 21st, 2021:
We understand that dredging is necessarily taking place. However, the issue is not with the dredging itself, but rather, where the dredge sludge will be dumped.
Although the quantity of dredge sludge resulting from the extension of the America’s Cup village is small compared to the entire task – such action compounds the problem. And dredging has already begun.
Dumping toxic waste in waters off Great Barrier will not only cause great damage to the local marine environment and ecology, but also potentially reflect poorly on the America's Cup event as a whole.
A global spotlight will be focused onto Auckland and New Zealand during the Cup. If Great Barrier Island's waters become unnecessarily polluted and damaged by dredge sludge dumping as a direct result of the dredging in the run up to and after the Cup event – the community backlash could result in adverse publicity and bad PR, both for the America's Cup event and NZ's "clean green" image internationally.
Like many others around the world, given the catastrophic state of the world’s oceans we are horrified to read recent news articles about the location of the proposed toxic sediment dump – particularly when there are more environmentally friendly (and land-based) alternatives available for disposal of the dredge waste.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12125022
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12211954
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=12218560
PROBLEM
A marine consent has been granted to Coastal Resources Ltd (CRL) by the Environmental Protection Authority of New Zealand (EPA) to dump a vast quantity of contaminated and possibly disease-laden dredge sludge sediment into the pristine, waahi tapu waters off Great Barrier Island / Aotea, over an extended period: https://www.epa.govt.nz/public-consultations/decided/coastal-resources-limited
The America's Cup is an iconic yachting event – shame if preparations ahead of such a globally recognised spectacle contribute to an ecological and environmental nightmare locally.
Particularly when there are other less polluting (and land-based) alternatives available for disposing of the waste, according to geologist Matt Watson, friend of renowned marine ecologist and conservationist Wade Doak – including using the dredge sediment mixed with concrete to create an artificial island in the Upper Waitemata for a bird sanctuary, among other options.
To dump toxic sediment close to the waahi tapu (sacred) waters of Aotea/Great Barrier Island is unfathomable.
ACTION
Kelly Klink, of iwi Ngāti Rehua-Ngātiwai ki Aotea, along with the Society for the Protection of Aotea Community & Ecology, have lodged appeals against this marine dumping consent in the High Court.
On March 12, 2019, we set up a petition to oppose the marine consent: https://www.change.org/p/dr-alan-freeth-and-mark-farnsworth-stop-the-dumping-of-toxic-dredge-sludge-onto-new-zealand-s-great-barrier-island - which now has more than 7,000 supporters.
The comments below the petition are telling - and worth reading.
Protect Aotea has also set up a “give-a-little” fundraising page which is being overseen by the Chairman of the Great Barrier Local Board, Izzy Fordham.
CONTEXT
Astonishingly, permits to dump dredge sludge waste at sea are still being granted - despite NZ being a party to the London Convention:
"It covers the deliberate disposal at sea of wastes or other matter from vessels, aircraft, and platforms."
"The main objective of the London Convention is to prevent indiscriminate disposal at sea of wastes that could be liable for creating hazards to human health; harming living resources and marine life; damaging amenities; or interfering with other legitimate uses of the sea. The 1972 Convention extends its scope over "all marine waters other than the internal waters" of the States and prohibits the dumping of certain hazardous materials. It further requires a prior special permit for the dumping of a number of other identified materials and a prior general permit for other wastes or matter."
http://www.imo.org/en/OurWork/Environment/LCLP/Pages/default.aspx
New Zealand is also a signatory to this United Nations Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships:
https://treaties.un.org/pages/showDetails.aspx?objid=0800000280291139
It is a very poor reflection and indictment on the EPA Committee decision-makers to even think of allowing such an option; this issue is particularly contentious, given part of the dredging is taking place in preparation for the America's Cup.
It would seem that there has been no proper research, no in-depth, thorough or transparent consultation with affected parties and communities undertaken, and no granular, longer-term risk evaluation of the potential effects on the environment via the transportation of diseases as well as toxic heavy metals, and so on.
Absolutely unacceptable in this day and age, regardless of how much money (hundreds of millions) that the event will bring to the area:
https://www.sail-world.com/news/215953/Work-progresses-on-Americas-Cup-bases-in-Auckland
As outlined above, there could be a massive public backlash against this global yacht racing event if, as a result of it being staged in Auckland, a colossal quantity of contaminated waste from Ports of Auckland (and other marina sites) pollutes an (as yet) relatively untouched part of our precious country's coastal and marine environments.
We need the support of The America’s Cup syndicates to lead by example, and nip this in the bud before irreversible damage is done.
OUTREACH AHEAD OF THE HIGH COURT APPEAL
We are currently investigating various options in order to swiftly establish a Registered Charitable Trust in order to accept donations to contribute to the legal costs. These may be further required if the case needs to be lodged in the Supreme Court should the appeal in the High Court fail.
As such, we are reaching out to a number of stakeholders and influencers locally and internationally; including the local iwi and residents of Aotea, the wider Auckland community, media, politicians including the Green Party, marine experts, the yachting communities in NZ and abroad, marine conservation organisations globally, high profile celebrities, legal experts, America’s Cup syndicates, foundations, charitable trusts and individual philanthropists who care about preserving the oceans, as well as many others.
IN SUM
This growing ongoing dredge sludge dump only 25 km offshore Aotea/Great Barrier Island is the exact opposite of what we as a country should be doing/allowing – and we know that participants in the America’s Cup would also be shocked if they knew what was going on – hence this letter.
A wildly irresponsible, deeply shameful, ecologically and environmentally unconscionable, globally controversial, short-sighted and short-termist, irretrievably massive leap backwards.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12223460
We must recognise that the most important community with most to lose and with most at stake if this dump takes place is of course the local iwi of Aotea/Great Barrier Island - guardians of the land (and sea), many of whom depend on the region for their livelihood.
Their voices must be heard; this marine dumping consent must be revoked.
Thank you for your support.
Sincerely,
Natalie Baragwanath et al
On behalf of PROTECT AOTEA
