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Fighting fund
Fight The Tip, a voluntary organisation, is keen to find an experienced fundraiser. The group needs help to run fundraising events, sell merchandise online, apply for funding and generate other fundraising ideas. If you can help, message the Fight the Tip facebook page or email Michelle at fightthetip.nz@gmail.com. Fundraising initiatives will need to bear in mind the group’s values of protecting the environment and waste minimisation. Donations can be made directly to the group at https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/fightthetip or deposited to: Fight the Tip Tiaki Te Whenua Inc. 12 3094 0274048 00. The group says any surplus funds not needed for the cause will be donated to charities in the Rodney area.
Opponents to the massive Auckland landfill, slated to be built on State Highway 1 just north of the Dome, have spent the past few months marshalling their evidence to challenge the resource consent granted by Auckland Council.
When the case goes before the Environment Court later next month, Fight the Tip: Tiaki te Whenua will present four expert witnesses and 33 lay witnesses to support its case against the landfill.
Fight The Tip’s opposition is based on what it sees as the detrimental impacts the project will have environmentally, culturally and socially on the landfill site, as well as the wider catchment and the Kaipara Harbour.
Spokesperson Michelle Carmichael says amassing the evidence has been no small task.
“Reading the witness statements, you really understand the reasons why this needs to be stopped,” she says.
In particular, Carmichael thanked the group’s legal team – Andrew Braggins, Tamsin Gorman and the team from Berry Simons Environmental.
“Their commitment and passion for protecting the environment is keenly obvious.”
Carmichael estimates the court case will cost the volunteer group close to $200,000 in legal and expert witness costs. Currently, they have half that amount in the bank.
“We received $24,500 from the Ministry for the Environment and we’ve had great support with donations. Environmentally passionate businesses and groups have also run events and sold products for us. It’s these kinds of efforts that are really helping.
“We have submitted another application for further funding from the ministry, which we hope will be close to $20,000, so we need to raise a further $80,000 through donations and fundraisers.”
Fight the Tip is one of eight entities appealing the resource consent decision. The others are Te Runanga O Ngati Whatua, Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society of New Zealand, Director-General of Conservation, Manuhiri Kaitiaki Charitable Trust, Trustees of Nga Maunga Whakahii o Kaipara Development Trust, Ngati Whatua Orakei, and Environs Holdings.
Waste Management NZ plans to build the landfill on 60 hectares of its 1000 hectare site. It will replace the company’s Redvale operation, which is due to close in 2028. Consent was granted last year when hearing commissioners voted four to one in favour. However, a subsequent application by Waste
Management for a plan change for a landfill precinct in the valley was declined late last year.
The hearing is due to start on June 20 and is expected to take nine weeks. However, with sequential breaks, it is expected to run over five months.
