The Impact of the Protest on New Zealand & New Zealanders
The 1977 -1978 Bastion Point protest had a significant impact on New Zealand society and many New Zealanders, the protest mainly had a significant impact on the Maori community and would be a catalyst for a number of changes in government policy in regard to the return of Maori land.
In the short term the protest led to the arrest and trial of a number of people who had been involved in the protest. By the end of 1978 the Governments offer was accepted by Ngati Whatua, upon acceptance they received 13 acres and 27 state houses, this land and houses were given to the newly formed Orakei Maori Trust Board. However this came at the cost of $200,000. This was a significant step towards the return of land to the tribe, however even though the occupation had ended, the protest had not. The attention of protest action turned to the court cases of the protestors that were arrested at Bastion Point. The defendants and their supporters marched from Bastion Point to court in downtown Auckland, in an act of unity and to show that they would not give up their opposition to construction at Bastion Point, and that they would continue to advocate for the land to be returned to them. A number of delaying tactics were used by the defendants and their supporters in order to slow down and disrupt the court proceedings, supporters disrupted these proceedings by yelling out 'Bastion Point is Maori Land' and similar slogans from the public gallery. Eventually the Governor General, Sir Keith Holyoake, intervened and ordered a halt to these court proceedings. The 180 protesters yet to be prosecuted were dismissed without charge, and those who had been convicted appealed their sentences, and all convictions were dropped by the end of 1979. This court debacle did nothing towards stopping the protests or the arrests. In 1982 two reoccupation's of Bastion Point occurred, the first reoccupation resulted in 11 arrests, and at the second reoccupation over 100 protestors were arrested. This clearly shoes just how significant the land was for the people of Ngati Whatua, the protestors were heavily impacted by their actions as they were arrested and many were convicted.
In the short term the protest led to the arrest and trial of a number of people who had been involved in the protest. By the end of 1978 the Governments offer was accepted by Ngati Whatua, upon acceptance they received 13 acres and 27 state houses, this land and houses were given to the newly formed Orakei Maori Trust Board. However this came at the cost of $200,000. This was a significant step towards the return of land to the tribe, however even though the occupation had ended, the protest had not. The attention of protest action turned to the court cases of the protestors that were arrested at Bastion Point. The defendants and their supporters marched from Bastion Point to court in downtown Auckland, in an act of unity and to show that they would not give up their opposition to construction at Bastion Point, and that they would continue to advocate for the land to be returned to them. A number of delaying tactics were used by the defendants and their supporters in order to slow down and disrupt the court proceedings, supporters disrupted these proceedings by yelling out 'Bastion Point is Maori Land' and similar slogans from the public gallery. Eventually the Governor General, Sir Keith Holyoake, intervened and ordered a halt to these court proceedings. The 180 protesters yet to be prosecuted were dismissed without charge, and those who had been convicted appealed their sentences, and all convictions were dropped by the end of 1979. This court debacle did nothing towards stopping the protests or the arrests. In 1982 two reoccupation's of Bastion Point occurred, the first reoccupation resulted in 11 arrests, and at the second reoccupation over 100 protestors were arrested. This clearly shoes just how significant the land was for the people of Ngati Whatua, the protestors were heavily impacted by their actions as they were arrested and many were convicted.
Joe Hawke had never been satisfied with the deal that Ngati Whatua had received in 1978 in regards to the return of some land to the tribe, but at a cost of $200,000. So he decided to take an official claim for the land to the Waitangi Tribunal, The Waitangi Tribunal is a New Zealand permanent commission of inquiry established under the Treaty of Waitangi Act 1975. It is charged with investigating and making recommendations on claims brought by Māori relating to actions or omissions made by the government in New Zealand’s history. With Joe Hawke advocating for the claim, the Orakei claim, as it was known, became the the first of the historical claims which the tribunal investigated, and this would pave the way for countless claims to come. In the report which it produced in 1987 the tribunal recommended the return of Bastion point to its rightful owners, Ngati Whatua. In brief, the tribunal found what the claimants had insisted for generations was true, the government had failed to uphold the tribal ownership which Ngati Whatua preferred. the Government had mismanaged the land at Orakei and had gone against the treaty of Waitangi by acquiring the land, and evicting the people from Bastion Point and destroying their settlement. However the tribunal did not only lay blame with the government, they also made negative comments about the actions of Joe Hawke and the protestors who occupied the land at Bastion Point. The tribunal stated that those who had occupied Bastion Point, were breaching the treaty as they were acting outside of the law. A settlement which was much more comprehensive, followed on in 1991, and what land that could be returned to the tribe, was returned. As a result of this Ngati Whatua has built a strong relationship with Auckland City over the last 20 years, and they have been given shared responsibility for public spaces within their area.
The Bastion Point protest had a significant impact on the Maori community as it led to the first claim at the Waitangi Tribunal. The success of the Orakei claim inspired other tribes who had experienced unfair land confiscation, to take their cases to the Waitangi Tribunal so that they may rceive reperations for the injustices which they experienced. By its 30th anniversary in October 2005, the Tribunal had released 96 reports ranging from brief judicial findings to large reports. The subjects covered everything from very specific local problems to the impact of a wide variety of government policies over huge geographical areas. These claims have not stopped, in the last 10 years there have been a number of multi-million dollar claims settled as a result of findings of the tribunal.
Key Historical Ideas:
As a direct result of the 1977-1978 Bastion Point protest, Ngati Whatua had 13 acres returned to them 222 of the protestors were arrested and sent to trial. Delaying tactics by the defendants and their supporters proved successful in delaying the court proceedings, and eventually led to the Governor General intervening in the court proceedings, in which he dismissed all of the defendants that were waiting to be sentenced, and in 1979 all of the protestors that had been prosecuted had their sentences dropped. As he was dissatisfied with the settlement in 1978, Joe Hawke took an official claim to the Waitangi Tribunal, in the hope that it would lead to a fairer settlement for the people of Ngati Whatua. The tribunal found that the government had gone against the treaty of Waitangi in acquiring the land in Orakei. The tribunal also criticised the protestors and said that by occupying the land at Bastion Point in the way that they did went against the treaty, as they were acting outside the law. In 1991 the government a comprehensive settlement was reached between the government and Ngati Whatua, and what land that could be returned to Ngati Whatua in Orakei, was returned. The Bastion Point protest had a significant impact on the Maori community as it showed Maori that many New Zealanders were concerned with their land grievances, and paved the way for Maori tribes to deal with their land grievances in a way that was fair and just. The Bastion Point protest is often remembered for the scenes of confrontation which were associated with the occupation, Bastion Point is a perfect example of modern activism in New Zealand. Like many other land protests in recent times the people involved decided that the politics was not working, and decided that direct action was what was needed in order to achieve the desired affect. It took almost 10 years after the protest occurred until this effect was finally reached, but the protest sparked the series of events which would lead to the return of huge amounts of land to its rightful owners.
The Bastion Point protest had a significant impact on the Maori community as it led to the first claim at the Waitangi Tribunal. The success of the Orakei claim inspired other tribes who had experienced unfair land confiscation, to take their cases to the Waitangi Tribunal so that they may rceive reperations for the injustices which they experienced. By its 30th anniversary in October 2005, the Tribunal had released 96 reports ranging from brief judicial findings to large reports. The subjects covered everything from very specific local problems to the impact of a wide variety of government policies over huge geographical areas. These claims have not stopped, in the last 10 years there have been a number of multi-million dollar claims settled as a result of findings of the tribunal.
Key Historical Ideas:
As a direct result of the 1977-1978 Bastion Point protest, Ngati Whatua had 13 acres returned to them 222 of the protestors were arrested and sent to trial. Delaying tactics by the defendants and their supporters proved successful in delaying the court proceedings, and eventually led to the Governor General intervening in the court proceedings, in which he dismissed all of the defendants that were waiting to be sentenced, and in 1979 all of the protestors that had been prosecuted had their sentences dropped. As he was dissatisfied with the settlement in 1978, Joe Hawke took an official claim to the Waitangi Tribunal, in the hope that it would lead to a fairer settlement for the people of Ngati Whatua. The tribunal found that the government had gone against the treaty of Waitangi in acquiring the land in Orakei. The tribunal also criticised the protestors and said that by occupying the land at Bastion Point in the way that they did went against the treaty, as they were acting outside the law. In 1991 the government a comprehensive settlement was reached between the government and Ngati Whatua, and what land that could be returned to Ngati Whatua in Orakei, was returned. The Bastion Point protest had a significant impact on the Maori community as it showed Maori that many New Zealanders were concerned with their land grievances, and paved the way for Maori tribes to deal with their land grievances in a way that was fair and just. The Bastion Point protest is often remembered for the scenes of confrontation which were associated with the occupation, Bastion Point is a perfect example of modern activism in New Zealand. Like many other land protests in recent times the people involved decided that the politics was not working, and decided that direct action was what was needed in order to achieve the desired affect. It took almost 10 years after the protest occurred until this effect was finally reached, but the protest sparked the series of events which would lead to the return of huge amounts of land to its rightful owners.