The Surfbreak Protection Society says that building a car park, cycle way and associated hard structure within the foreshore and coastal hazard zone at Maungamaunu point will be a disaster for the nationally significant surf break and the bay’s outstanding natural character.

SPS has filed for judicial review proceedings challenging the decisions by the Kaikoura District Council and the Canterbury Regional Council to grant resource consents to build the cycle way and other amenities in Mangamaunu, using a truncated RMA process under an Order in Council (OIC) under the Hurunui/Kaikoura Earthquakes Emergency Relief and Recovery Acts 2016 (emergency legislation).

The OIC provides NCTIR (& NZTA/Kiwirail) the ability to sidestep national safeguards, removes the right of appeal and usual public submission and community consultation processes for the purpose of opening the road and other legitimate “restoration work”. 

However, the car park, cycle way and other works consented at Mangamaunu are not restoration works as defined in the emergency legislation.  So the consents were granted unlawfully, out of jurisdiction and for improper purposes.  SPS is therefore asking the courts to quash or set aside the decisions as they relate to works at Mangamaunu.

 SPS President Paul Shanks says “SPS have, alongside Te Runanga o Ngai Tahu, Mangamaunu Marae, Kaikoura Boardriders & Mangamaunu Preservation Society, all provided formal comment in 2018 that putting this cycleway development through the OIC is a mis-use of the emergency legislation and have requested this development go through a full RMA process.”

 It is disappointing that the collective and reasonable request by the parties mentioned above, has been ignored.  Our communications to local, regional and central government have not resulted in the due process and protections this iconic surf break and coastline urgently requires and deserves.

 The lack of response has left us with no option than to file. The consequences and cost of the legal action to all parties could have been avoided. However, SPS is looking forward to having its concerns heard by the Courts.”

Under the usual RMA processes (that have been back in place for all activities since 1^st April 2018), the New Zealand Coastal Policy Statement (NZCPS) would be in full effect which requires that no adverse effects can occur to the nationally protected surfbreak and bay. The protections under the NZCPS are of the highest level and akin to those protecting our national parks.

NCTIR/Kiwirail and NZTA’s own coastal assessments indicate that adverse effects to the surfbreak will be likely however SPS’s independent experts and science show the adverse effects are considerably underestimated.

Coastal expert Dr Shaw Mead indicates “The whole plan is very short-sighted as it stands, since it will likely destroy the very amenity that people want to come and visit, a world-class right hand point break.”

There has been a strong groundswell of local, national and international support to protect Mangamaunu with over 5000 people signing the SPS petition, $14,400 in the givealittle campaign towards SPS’s legal costs and the international group Save the Waves listing Mangamaunu officially as an endangered wave.

To defend this iconic surf break from the suspension of due democratic process will be a costly affair.

SPS are calling out all surfers and those that endorse proper democratic process to contribute to our givealittle page: https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/httpwwwsurfbreakorgnz#

The coalition government still needs an indication of the value placed on this Nationally Significant Surf break. If you have not done so already, please sign the petition and encourage family and friends to do the same:
https://our.actionstation.org.nz/petitions/save-mangamaunu-surf-break-1

Ends

Contact:

Michael Gunson
Research and Communications
Surfbreak Protection Society Inc.
info@surfbreak.org.nz
www.surfbreak.org.nz