Cape reinga upgrade
Tuesday 15 May 2007, 1:35PM
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Mahara Okeroa announces Budget 2007-funded $6.5m improvements to facilites at Cape Reinga, Northland
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Speech Notes for address to audience at the announcement of the Budget 2007-funded improvements to Cape reinga facilities
It is with great pleasure to be here today at Cape Reinga and join my parliamentary colleagues Dover Samuels and Shane Jones; Ngati Kuri, Te Aupouri and Enterprise Northland in announcing as part of Budget 2007, $6.5m in funding for the redevelopment of Cape Reinga.
Cape Reinga is home to some of New Zealand's rarest plants and animals, and is a hugely significant site to Maori as the last departure point for spirits on the homeward journey to Hawaiiki.
The paramount drive behind this project has been to heal the current site and restore it in a manner that befits a place of such major spiritual and ecological importance to not only local iwi and Maori, but for all New Zealanders to enjoy and respect.
This has been the culmination of 30 years work beginning with plans developed by tangata whenua for a visitor centre and re-landscaping of the present site.
Over the past few years the Department of Conservation has worked closely with kaumatua from Ngati Kuri, Charlie Petera and Dema Petera, as well as Enterprise Northland. But also a special mention must go to my colleague Dover Samuels who has fought long and hard for many years along with Sandra Lee to get this project of the ground.
And to all those who have been involved with this project over the many years. Your hard work and your dedication in wanting to safe guard this site has finally come to fruition and for that I applaud you.
With investment, the labour-led government believes Cape Reinga can grow further as a destination delivering considerable economic and social benefits to the Far North, But also, Budget 2007 will deliver that investment as part of a broader programme to protect and enhance New Zealand special places which is a critical part of our sense of Nationhood for this great land we inhabit.
Budget 2007 enables the Department of Conservation to spend $6.5m over two years on the redevelopment of visitor facilities at the site, such as car parks, eco-friendly toilets, power generation, new roading, walking tracks and replanting through reallocation of scheduled recreational opportunity capital funding. This work will help prepare the area for the development of a visitor centre in future, which the Far North community is fund raising for.
This major investment in infrastructure or 'future proofing' is for expected increase in visitor numbers over the next few years and ties in with other projects already happening in the area, they include:
. Transit NZ sealing last 19km to Cape Reinga
. Development of nursery by Ngati Kuri to provide plants for revegetation/landscaping of road sealing project and infrastructure work
. Joint project by Te Aupouri, Ngati Kuri, Enterprise Northland and DOC to develop world class visitor centre at Cape Reinga to provide better interpretation of this significant place.
The huge investment by central government in Cape Reinga will:
. increase employment opportunities for local community,
. eco-tourism opportunities
. improved visitor experience
The Cape Reinga site of Te Ara Wairua (spiritual pathway) is believed to be the final departure point for Maori after death on the return journey home to Hawaiki.
That is why this place has such a huge spiritual significance to all Maori and their cultural identity.
The Project will restore the area, remove infrastructure off Te Ara Wairua and allow for restoration and landscaping befitting an area of such significance and prominence
Cape Reinga is and will become a top tourist destination for domestic and international tourists. It is a major investment for the Far North region, which will generate significant revenue and new jobs to the area.
It is also an ecologically nationally important site as it contains:
. High level of endemism
. the highest number of endangered native plants including Bartlett's rata (rata moehau) first discovered in 1976, only 30 trees
. Home to giant land snails; flax snail (pupu harakeke)
We owe it to ourselves and those that walked these lands before us to protect this site and all its treasures it contains for the future generations that will follow in our footsteps.
---------------------------------
Speech Notes for address to audience at the announcement of the Budget 2007-funded improvements to Cape reinga facilities
It is with great pleasure to be here today at Cape Reinga and join my parliamentary colleagues Dover Samuels and Shane Jones; Ngati Kuri, Te Aupouri and Enterprise Northland in announcing as part of Budget 2007, $6.5m in funding for the redevelopment of Cape Reinga.
Cape Reinga is home to some of New Zealand's rarest plants and animals, and is a hugely significant site to Maori as the last departure point for spirits on the homeward journey to Hawaiiki.
The paramount drive behind this project has been to heal the current site and restore it in a manner that befits a place of such major spiritual and ecological importance to not only local iwi and Maori, but for all New Zealanders to enjoy and respect.
This has been the culmination of 30 years work beginning with plans developed by tangata whenua for a visitor centre and re-landscaping of the present site.
Over the past few years the Department of Conservation has worked closely with kaumatua from Ngati Kuri, Charlie Petera and Dema Petera, as well as Enterprise Northland. But also a special mention must go to my colleague Dover Samuels who has fought long and hard for many years along with Sandra Lee to get this project of the ground.
And to all those who have been involved with this project over the many years. Your hard work and your dedication in wanting to safe guard this site has finally come to fruition and for that I applaud you.
With investment, the labour-led government believes Cape Reinga can grow further as a destination delivering considerable economic and social benefits to the Far North, But also, Budget 2007 will deliver that investment as part of a broader programme to protect and enhance New Zealand special places which is a critical part of our sense of Nationhood for this great land we inhabit.
Budget 2007 enables the Department of Conservation to spend $6.5m over two years on the redevelopment of visitor facilities at the site, such as car parks, eco-friendly toilets, power generation, new roading, walking tracks and replanting through reallocation of scheduled recreational opportunity capital funding. This work will help prepare the area for the development of a visitor centre in future, which the Far North community is fund raising for.
This major investment in infrastructure or 'future proofing' is for expected increase in visitor numbers over the next few years and ties in with other projects already happening in the area, they include:
. Transit NZ sealing last 19km to Cape Reinga
. Development of nursery by Ngati Kuri to provide plants for revegetation/landscaping of road sealing project and infrastructure work
. Joint project by Te Aupouri, Ngati Kuri, Enterprise Northland and DOC to develop world class visitor centre at Cape Reinga to provide better interpretation of this significant place.
The huge investment by central government in Cape Reinga will:
. increase employment opportunities for local community,
. eco-tourism opportunities
. improved visitor experience
The Cape Reinga site of Te Ara Wairua (spiritual pathway) is believed to be the final departure point for Maori after death on the return journey home to Hawaiki.
That is why this place has such a huge spiritual significance to all Maori and their cultural identity.
The Project will restore the area, remove infrastructure off Te Ara Wairua and allow for restoration and landscaping befitting an area of such significance and prominence
Cape Reinga is and will become a top tourist destination for domestic and international tourists. It is a major investment for the Far North region, which will generate significant revenue and new jobs to the area.
It is also an ecologically nationally important site as it contains:
. High level of endemism
. the highest number of endangered native plants including Bartlett's rata (rata moehau) first discovered in 1976, only 30 trees
. Home to giant land snails; flax snail (pupu harakeke)
We owe it to ourselves and those that walked these lands before us to protect this site and all its treasures it contains for the future generations that will follow in our footsteps.