By Vaughan Winiata.
A petition with over 12,500 signatures including Erebus families and calling on the Prime Minister to stop the planned construction of an Erebus memorial at its proposed site, arrived on the steps of Parliament on May 20.
Three MPs from across the house greeted Erebus Family member Margaret Brough who handed the petition to MP Shanan Halbert, the chair of the Petitions Select Committee. There to support the petition was Rawiri Waititi from The Maori party and Paul Goldsmith from the National Party.
And supporting Margaret Brough with the petition hand-over were members of the Protect Mataharehare community group, who has occupied the proposed memorial site In Dove-Myer Park in Parnell, Auckland in protest since March 3.
While the situation remains at an impasse, a 12,500 signature petition contesting what is a deeply flawed site selection process, now sits on our Prime Ministers’ desk. The petition will not be tabled until June 22 as parliament is currently in recess and that will be the date of the next sitting day.
Photo (from left): Rawiri Waititi; Shanan Halbert, the chair of the Petitions Select Committee; and Paul Goldsmith.