Based on a report by Aaron Mooar, Raglan Community Radio
An unknown person has managed to generate a large amount of Facebook
hysteria around Raglan about a house that is being built near Indicators. An item about ‘Raglan’s
Indicators Point Break foreshore to be bulldozed’ first posted on the Raglan Noticeboard Facebook was deleted by the admin. team of the Raglan Noticeboard Facebook on Thursday 26th Feb. Some of the comments on the post did not conform with the posting guidelines for the Raglan Noticeboard Facebook. (See comment below). Somebody then set up their own Facebook incorrectly called “Raglan’s Indicators Point Break foreshore to be bulldozed for development.” This quickly attracted over 2700 likes since Friday 27th Feb. when it was set up.
Planning hearing documents show that a 3-bedroom house will be built at the base of the hill on private land owned by Mr J Hemi, a descendant of the original people who lived in the area. It will be positioned high enough to avoid rising sea levels until at least the end of the century.
Logic would suggest that houses don’t get built on the foreshore and in the case of Indicators, or Tirohanga as it was originally called, there is a boulder bank and council reserve strip between the foreshore and the private land.
Angline Greensill, who is a lecturer in environmental planning at Waikato University says that the court decision allowing the house to go ahead has the most stringent set of conditions she has ever seen working with the Resource Management Act in Whaingaroa. The owners of the site have had meetings with and the full support of, the Ngati Koata relatives who live in the area. She also says that while there are wahi tapu in the area this site is not one of them.
The 2011 court decision, which called upon expert scientific opinion also points out that only the roof of the proposed house will be visible from the surf while there are already two fully visible houses nearby.
Thanks for your thoughtful,neutral and informative comments and for the court case link for people to read. The misleading “Raglan’s Indicators Point Break foreshore to be bulldozed for development,” Facebook page was designed to evoke negative reactions in surfers to the building of a home by tangata whenua at Tirohanga. It worked . The truth is it has taken thousands of dollars, and dozens of reports over 15 years for the Hemi whanau to get consent to build a home on their own land. Our hapu forward to having another whanau coming home to live and look after our land.
The “Raglan’s
Indicators Point Break foreshore to be bulldozed for development” Facebook page has no connection to the “Raglan Noticeboard” and was set up by someone after the original post was removed from the “Raglan Noticeboard” by Admin. The original post on the noticeboard did not receive 2700 likes and was removed at 4pm on Thursday last week.
Matt thanks for the correction. I’ve updated the post.
Thanks Rodger
We at the Surfbreak Protection Society (SPS) have been at the forefront of every genuine campaign aimed at protecting surfbreaks in New Zealand since 2005.
We are usually approached by local surfers, before hearings begin, and then assist the local surfing population, and often going on to lead a challenge through the RMA consent process.
What was odd with this facebook campaign is that we were not approached via the usual channels, ongoing inquiries could not find any local surfers behind the campaign.
All indicators point to the aforementioned facebook page NOT being set up by a surfer(s)
By using misleading information and pleading for crisis management, the anonymous Facebook page Admin made very clever use of surfers passion to “protect” Indicators, generating a knee jerk response to an issue they know little about.
It is our assessment that the Environment Court Process was robust and if anything, very restrictive on the land owner and what he can do on his own land.
SPS are more than satisfied that this building will have no impact on Indicators, and wish the Hemi family all the best in their new home.
It is now time for those surfers who posted impulsively to make amends with the family.
If you wish to make amends you may contact SPS by the email address listed on our website http://www.surfbreak.org.nz we will collate and manage the endorsments, and then pass on to the Hemi family.
Kind Regards
Michael Gunuson
Research and Communications.
Surfbreak Protection Society Inc.
On behalf of the committee.