Cape Brett, Oke Bay Lodge, and Julian Batchelor:

Te komiti o te Kaitiaki o Opourua spokesperson Katherine Paaka Raue was recently interviewed by Dale Husband on Irirangi Waatea regarding the situation between Auckland property developer Julian Batchelor, the Far North District Council, and the local hapu and tangata whenua at Hauai and Opourua in Ipipiri, and Julian Batchelor's plans for land he occupies - and a lot of other land, all the way on out to Rakaumangamanga in fact.

Julian Batchelor seems to have laid claim to "Cape Brett", by way of claim to intellectual property which he doesn't own, and by way of taking liberties regarding the publication of information which is seriously questionable - not least being the claim that the land is owned by a charitable religious "trust" when in fact it is owned by a limited liability company which is controlled exclusively by Julian Batchelor.

Batchelor's plans include an "international evangelisation centre" based on the property he currently occupies and a wide ranging a large scale commercial enterprise which exploits the local tangata whenua and their taonga for the exclusive benefit of Julian Batchelor, and the tangata whenua have had enough.

Evidence of the pollution to the sea caused by run off from Mr Batchelor's unlawful and unconsented 'works'

Te komiti o te Kaitiaki o Opourua insisted that the Far North District Council issue a stop work notice to Julian Batchelor immediately following confirmation of the fact that Batchelor's 'work' was unconsented and in breach of the law.  Since then problems have escalated, with Batchelor initiating physical confrontations with users of the track up to our wahi tapu, Batchelor then makes complaints to Police in an attempt to 'establish a pattern of being a victim' - he lacks any insight into the fact that he's the perpetrator not the victim, and further serious environmental destruction caused by the run off of rainwater and overflow of storm water from the property Batchelor occupies - due to his illegal and unconsented 'works'.

The interview is at this link.