Hundreds of people have been marching in protest through Auckland today against a proposed plan to put a landfill in Dome Valley, north of the city.
About 400 people including Kaipara and Wellsford residents and local iwi bussed south to the city to take part in the hikoi and show their opposition to the tip.
Waste Management wants to build the new regional landfill and says it is needed for Auckland’s growing population and that Dome Valley is the most suitable location.
But the local community is worried that waste will leach and pollute the nearby Hoteo River, which flows into the Kaipara Harbour.
“It'll never be right for us to stand aside and allow this tip to happen in the interests of tomorrow's mokopuna, I was the mokopuna when we were bathing in Hoteo Creek,” Dame Naida Glavish, a politician and Kaipara local, said.
The mayor of Kaipara, Jason Smith, and his entire council also oppose the landfill.
“We are faced with an unprecedented risk of catastrophic environmental damage, the proposed landfill would poison the Kaipara Harbour for the next thousand years,” Mr Smith said.
Auckland Council has to give consent for the proposal to go through, and a petition against it was given to Deputy Mayor Bill Cashmore today.
An independent panel will consider the application later this year.
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