Te Papa chairman threatens Okura development protesters with legal action

Wednesday, 7 February 2018

Geoff Reid grew up in Okura and says he has seen the environment changing with developments.

The chairman of Te Papa museum is threatening defamation action over protests outside the museum against his 864-hectare waterfront development, near Okura marine reserve on Auckland's North Shore.

Weiti Bay developer Evan Williams confirmed letters had been sent by his lawyer to the protest group, the Evan C. Williams Removal Committee - which had been outside Te Papa in the past few weeks - committee spokesperson Geoff Reid, and Friends of Okura Bush (FOOB).

The sands of Karepiro Bay are home to the endangered New Zealand dotterel.

The letters claimed the committee's calls for Williams to be removed from his position, a flyer distributed to the public, and a poster suggesting Williams was damaging the environment for financial gain were false and defamatory.

Williams' lawyer requested Reid to stop publishing alleged defamatory and potentially harmful communications on his Facebook page or legal action would be pursued under the Harmful Digital Communications Act 2015.

Sediment runs into Karapiro Bay in 2017.

A stream leading to Karepiro Bay 24 hours after heavy rain on January 23 is clear of construction sediment, WeitiBay developer Evan Williams says.

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Evan William says discolouration in a stream after heavy rain on January 23 is natural and not from sediment from WeitiBay, which is clay-coloured.

Protesters had been at loggerheads with Williams for two-and-a-half-years over alleged environmental damage to the Long Bay-Okura Marine Reserve, which they say was caused by 'excessive sediment' from Williams Land's development.

The marine reserve consists of sandy beaches, rocky reefs, estuarine mudflats and mangroves and is home to the endangered New Zealand dotterel which nests on sand spits near the Okura walkway.

Williams said his company, Williams Land, had always planned - and was committed to - keeping 80 per cent of Weiti Bay green, while only 20 per cent would be developed.

Williams said Weiti Bay, located 1 to 3 kilometres behind Dacre Cottage in Karepiro Bay, was 'completely divorced' from the estuary by a ridgeline.

'We're not dumping and cannot be contributing to the problem in their estuary, because we have no construction work upstream of that estuary, none at all.'

Williams said millions of dollars had been spent on sediment ponds, silt fences, and linings to streams and water flows to ensure the estuary was protected.

Although he acknowledged they were not a '100 per cent full proof system' during massive rain events in which some overflow occurred, it was 'minimal and infrequent,' he said.

Any other sediment seen in videos by protesters was naturally occurring.

Protester Reid alleged Williams' 'threatening legal letters' were an attempt to shut down democratic processes and gag his critics.

'Our marine reserves are really important to New Zealanders and wildlife. They're for us to enjoy, they're not for us to pollute.'

Dr Maj De Poorter of FOOB said the group had also received a letter from Williams' lawyer, simply for sharing posts from Reid's Facebook page, commenting it was a 'sad day'.

Freedom of speech and community participation and discussion are fundamental kiwi values, and we need to uphold them.'

Reid said, although protesters were not happy with the legal letters, they would continue to campaign.