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Regional | Ihumātao

Ihumātao to protest through Reclamation Festival

The SOUL (Saving Our Unique Landscape) Campaign team hosted the Ihumātao Reclamation Festival at Ihumatao, Auckland, in an attempt to protest against the potential 480 houses set to be built on the land.

There were two stages for the public to enjoy and featured a number of key New Zealand artists such as Ladi 6, Che Fu, King Kapisi and many more.

The Ihumātao land was part of the land confiscations that occurred in 1863 and was rezoned in 2012 in which Auckland Council later approved it as a special housing area.

Brendan Corbett of SOUL says, “SOUL is protesting Fletcher’s plans to build an inappropriate, high-cost development on land that the former Manukau Council promised would become part of the adjacent Otuataua Stonefields Historic Reserve.”

SOUL Spokesperson, Pania Newton, says this land has been a part of New Zealand history for decades and has helped people from all over the nation.

“This land matters because it offers our city and nation unique natural, conservation, archaeological, heritage and cultural values. The whole history of our country can be told here – the good, the bad and the ugly.”

SOUL will be presenting their nationwide petition to Parliament on the 12 March, that asks the Government to buy the land or set up a mandating process with a better outcome for everyone involved.