28/10/2026
Recent media stories about the Mahurangi and the opening of an oyster area in the Kaipara Harbour for Mahurangi oyster farmers have caused quite a few questions from people that I wish to address. Many people have asked me if the Mahurangi is still receiving wastewater overflows and if it will be closed permanently. We have not been closed due to any sewage spills since April due to a mixture of a less wet Winter but also Watercare's efforts through fixing certain problematic areas and sucker trucks during rain events while work continues on the growth service poo line that will hopefully sister for the next 30 years of growth. I've had some testy conversations with people about the oyster farmers receiving "another" handout due to the $2.8 million REPAYABLE grant announced for this development. It is repayable, not a handout, at this stage it will cost each farmer involved to pay for it to be developed. The payment we received from the one dry weather spill almost a year ago was from Watercare's insurance, not ratepayer or taxpayer dollars, a common misconception.
Last year during those terrible days where 10mm of rain would bring 100 cubic metres plus of overflows an idea by the Mahurangi association president and AQNZ was hatched to help find farmers an area to relay oysters in healthier waters for them to be fit for consumption. During this time and even at the beginning of the year, it was hard to see any hope for the Mahurangi this year so the process was started. It is very difficult to set up an aquaculture management area, there are loads of legislative difficulties and it needs to be in a partnership with iwi. The group relied on the chairperson and AQNZ to inform them of the ins and outs of the project and huge amounts of work has gone in to get the project up and running to their credit. My belief and opinion is that for myself it is not economically viable to transfer oysters from one coast to the other. Just maintaining my own farms is difficult enough with also running a seven day a week (when open) shop and due to this year's fuel price rises oysters haven't been on top of everyone's shopping list. For me I wanted to focus on liaising with Watercare to fix the most problematic areas around the Hill Street/Kowhai Park area to give the Mahurangi more ability to handle the rain events which lead to the overflows while the new pipe is being constructed.
Over a year ago in a meeting with some of Watercare's board and incoming CEO Jamie Sinclair I challenged them to make us proud, to be able to bring friends and family from other areas to be able to fish, gather shellfish and enjoy the local waterways because we have a good council and water utility service company that protects the environment that it grows into. A foolish dream some would say but Jamie Sinclair came to me in the carpark and said he would make us proud and since then though things got worse for a time, has implemented huge amount of resources in the Warkworth area that other areas in Auckland would love and also need to try rectify this situation, a situation that should never have happened if Auckland Council had developed infrastructure before growth. A similar theme to the country's lack of investment and maintenance of infrastructure in general over the last 30 years. I would like to thank Jamie Sinclair for trying to change the culture of Watercare to one that does try to engage with the community and listen and act from those conversations unlike the Watercare of old. It is my belief that working with Watercare and the Council to keep trying to protect the Mahurangi while the hills and pastures become another Millwater or Silverdale is in the best interest for the river and harbour moving forward.
The efforts of AQNZ to help us since it kicked off last year has been huge. Jenny Marcroft the under secretary to the minister of fisheries and aquaculture not only brought our plight to the parliamentary debate chamber but actively advocated for us to get the compensation that came from the dry weather spill event almost a year ago. Jenny's chief of staff Mike Haliday helped me greatly navigate my issues with IRD when I saw no hope. I am forever grateful for Jenny's efforts and feel she would make a wonderful local MP for the Kaipara ki Mahurangi electorate as she does care ans live here but I would like to point out I have no political leanings towards any political party. I wish politocians would be tied to their electorates rather than party political ideology peraonally. Even though I have concerns that the Kaipara locals may have not been consulted properly or that the information the Mahurangi farmers have received on the project hasn't been as detailed as it should have been I do wish the farmers and the project, especially the iwi Te Uri o Hau all the best with the undertaking of it.
For the first time in years the Mahurangi is displaying its beautiful, emerald eyes that give its nickname the Jade River due to the components of many people who all care for the river and environment. We could still get sewage overflows while the new pipe is constructed but from where it was to where it is now is hugely better and those who have pulled a finger and actually done something like Watercare, AQNZ, Jenny Marcroft and the other farmers should be congratulated...but there is always more work to be done, so we can be proud of our river and harbour again, for our friends, family and generations to come.
