Ngāti Kahu o Torongare prepare for High Court Appeal'

Media Release for Immediate Distribution.

Ngāti Kahu o Torongare were notified at the end of January of an appeal lodged by Onoke Heights LTD agains the decision of the Environment Court to cancel resource consents to build 93 homes on Onoke Pā in Te Kamo Whangārei.

'We are bitterly disappointed at the appeal, after decades of fighting from our kaumātua and hapū to know we now have to fight further to protect Onoke Pā is a bitter pill for our people' says Nicki Wakefield.

Onoke Heights LTD are appealing the decision of the Environment Court in its entirety, now forcing the hapū into the High Court. 'We are motivated and unwilling to back down as we know the whenua is tapu and should be protected, it's as simple as that' states Chantez Connor - Kingi respondent to the appeal application.

'Our tūpuna fought for the land in the 1990's, we are only carrying out our duties as kaitiaki for the whenua to represent the opposition of our hapū and our neighbours and community' she says.

With the appeal lodged Ngāti Kahu o Torongare now ready themselves for the High Court.