All's Quiet on Waiheke Island

[Guest]

Some locals getting restless:

 

http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/waiheke-development-protesters-arrested-5109227?ref=facebook

 

Now ain't that a kick in the head?

[JK 28]

Awesome reporting!

 

I would question whether Ostend Beach is actually "popular" & the cultural importance of the old rubbish tips nearby, used for disposal of unwanted rubbish as they were. As for being near to Ostend, it is on the other side of the bay across from the car ferry wharf, about 1.5km as the crow flies and 5km by road.

[Megwyn 2]

You can learn alot about people by going through their old rubbish. Archeological evidence is often someones old rubbish . . .

 

Personally, I think the buildings are quite tasteful. It's not like it is an unspoilt beach with no buildings on it - there are two houses there already . . .

 

What's the REAL reason they are protesting? Someone mentioned transparency?

[Guest]

See here for all the conspiracy theorists M:

 

http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/groups/211064859007313/

 

According to one its all us white middle class men who are to blame (again).

[SloopJohnB 322]

Someone mentioned transparency?

 

 

If it transparency, they should not be able to see the buildings.

[JK 28]

Megwyn, I questioned the cultural significance of middens not the historical. I see very few people protesting about earthworks at landfills.

[Megwyn 2]

Megwyn, I questioned the cultural significance of middens not the historical. I see very few people protesting about earthworks at landfills.

 

As middens give an insight into what was considered edible fare at the time that the midden was created, it therefore has cultural significance.

 

Just because I don't care what happens to my rubbish, doesn't mean that my great grandchildren won't care what was in it.

 

But agreed - what is a landfill has no cultural significance because it is yours and my rubbish JK. If it is 'indiginous' rubbish, it becomes highly significant and 'cultural'.

 

It seems that was just an aside thrown in - I have had a look at their fb page, and it doesn't really give much info. Seems to be a group of people slapping each others backs. (Thats what fb is all about isn't it?).

 

Anyone have some cold hard facts, rather than emotive BS?

 

M

[Guest]

Anyone have some cold hard facts, rather than emotive BS?

 

M

 

Good question.

 

It started off being about a house plonked on the edge of an undeveloped / isolated / unspoilt reserve and being granted resource consent without public notification.

 

Then some middens were uncovered during foundation construction. Then it became about heritage conservation.

 

Then, because a stop work had been placed on the site to prevent stabilisation work being completed and a storm came and a slip occurred it became about the neighbour's drainage from his alleged illegal development.

 

Then the Local Board agreed to let the developer unload the houses over the reserve. Then it became about the arsehole Local Board's failure to abuse process and obstruct the applicant giving effect to the approved resource consent for the development.

 

Then some people saw the opportunity to grandstand with a protest. Then it became about "us" (the poor downtrodden) against "them" (the filthy rich who can afford coastal land and "buy" resource consents from the "corrupt" Council officers).

 

Then (on the day) some clown waved a tiro rangatiratanga flag and it became about Maori Sovereignty.

 

Then, following unsuccessful attempts to politely move the protestors out of the way so that the house could be (legally installed) it became about police brutality.

[JK 28]

My great grandchildren are welcome to dig up landfills to see what brand of disposable nappies were in use at the time. I would hope though that it would satisfy some historical curiosity rather than be considered of "cultural" significance - things that are culturaly significant deserve to be preserved rather than thrown out in the rubbish.

[Guest]

Anyone have some cold hard facts, rather than emotive BS?

 

M

 

Good question.

 

It started off being about a house plonked on the edge of an undeveloped / isolated / unspoilt reserve and being granted resource consent without public notification.

 

Then some middens were uncovered during foundation construction. Then it became about heritage conservation.

 

Then, because a stop work had been placed on the site to prevent stabilisation work being completed and a storm came and a slip occurred it became about the neighbour's drainage from his alleged illegal development.

 

Then the Local Board agreed to let the developer unload the houses over the reserve. Then it became about the arsehole Local Board's failure to abuse process and obstruct the applicant giving effect to the approved resource consent for the development.

 

Then some people saw the opportunity to grandstand with a protest. Then it became about "us" (the poor downtrodden) against "them" (the filthy rich who can afford coastal land and "buy" resource consents from the "corrupt" Council officers).

 

Then (on the day) some clown waved a tiro rangatiratanga flag and it became about Maori Sovereignty.

 

Then, following unsuccessful attempts to politely move the protestors out of the way so that the house could be (legally installed) it became about police brutality.