Just days after Rotorua Lakes District Council resumed work on the controversial sewage system at Lake Rotokākahi, it has been paused once again ahead of an Environment Court hearing.
Last Friday, the Lake Control Board applied for “a declaration that the council required a resource consent to install the pipe, and for enforcement to halt works until the resource consent is obtained” in the Environment Court.
The pipeline includes a 1.4km stretch across wāhi tapu whenua, where around 120 tūpuna died in the 1886 eruption of Mount Tarawera.
Protect Rotokākahi spokesperson, Te Whatanui Skipwith, called the pause a relief.
“We’re relieved that our ancestral lands and waters will be safeguarded for the next three weeks. Our goal is to ensure the protection of Rotokākahi in its entirety. Protecting our tūpuna burial grounds, our lake and our river is our priority.”
In a statement from Protect Rotokākahi, it stated the halt would allow the whenua and whānau to rest, while also allowing visitors to continued to be welcome to the area.
But Skipwith wants people to still be vigilant.
“When we make the call again, be ready to stand with us.
“We’ve witnessed an unprecedented surge in our movement’s growth in the last weeks and we know that in the next few weeks it will continue to grow.
“The people are no longer accepting the desecration of Māori land and waters - and they will show up to protect it. This whenua must be protected - for all of us,” he said.
Earlier in the week, police said it deployed 80 officers to the lake but those on the ground said there were more than 100.
Seven people were arrested during the peaceful protest, with a Give-a-Little set up to cover the legal fees of those arrested.
Protect Rotokākahi expressed gratitude for the overwhelming support it received over the last week.
“Your love, solidarity, and actions have made a tangible difference to us. Thank you for sustaining us during this week”, said Skipworth.
Work resumed the night before Tūhourangi Ngāti Wāhiao were set to perform at Te Matatini.
Kaitātaki wahine Tiahuia Ropitini agreed in a post-performance interview that what was happening at home at Rotokākahi impacted their performance.
“Kei te wā kāinga ngā whakaaro. Tē taea te aha i konei, engari i reira te hau kāinga e tiaki ana i ngā pā kai ahi otirā te moana, te wā kāinga. Kei te hau kāinga ngā whakaaro.”
“Our thoughts are very much at home. We can’t do much here, but our home people are there caring for the fires of our homeland, of our lakes, our home. Our thoughts are at home,” she said on Wednesday.
