Ali, leader of Gardens4Health, was privileged to present evidence at the PC94 Wairaka Precinct Hearing at the Auckland Town Hall.
The story as reported is that Sanctuary Community Organic Garden was protected during the original sale agreement between Unitec and the Crown. These protections ended up being ignored without explanation, and the precinct design came to include plans to build upon the māra (garden) land with no alternative space provided to integrate a community māra kai elsewhere. Gardens4Health advocated for a community garden of equal size to be incorporated into the precinct design should the existing Sanctuary Mahi Whenua māra be destroyed. This was in support of the Sanctuary Mahi Whenua kaupapa that we treasure: to provide for the future generations that we will not meet. We know it is crucial that our people have space to grow kai regardless of how intensified and urban their environment, and we hold the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development accountable for ensuring they provide this opportunity.
Ali reported that it was an honour to advocate for the community alongside mātua Trevor, pictured here with Ali, Bev, and John.
