Labour contradicts itself on Ihumatao Soul campaign

avatr Mana News editor Joe Trinder

Ihumatao

SOUL (Save our unique landscape) have been lobbying Auckland council to avoid building housing on the culturally significant site at Ihumatao in Mangere.

Labour Auckland Councillor Alf Filipaina voted against Councillor Cathy Casey’s resolution to revoke the earlier recommendation to offer Ihumatao as an special housing area. Councillor Filipaina in effect voted for  Fletcher construction to build over the the top of Ihumatao in Mangere , which includes ancestral burial caves.

Mr Filipaina said “To the community in Mangere I will not be giving false hope because that’s what I believe we will be doing if vote to revoke.”

In a press release yesterday Labour spokesperson Phil Twyford made this statement “Taihoa at Ihumatao says Labour“. An outright contradiction considering Labour councillor Alf Filipaina is all for destroying the cultural heritage site at Ihumatao.

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Roger Fowler the chair of ROCC (Respect our Community Campaign) made this comment “It’s certainly ain’t over until it’s over. And it won’t be over until Ihumatao is permanently protected from being further desecrated. Together we can do this – it’s our duty”

A alternative site has been suggested by SOUL not far away in Ascot Rd. But the Mangere community is being ignored even by its own City Councillors.

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Ihumatao and suggested housing area Ascot Rd.

When Housing Minister Nick Smith said he was going to build housing on cemetery’s he wasn’t joking. How can centrist Labour criticise Nick Smiths Special Housing Area in Mangere when it fully supports the Housing Minister in principal.