Venue: Great Barrier Island Sports and Social Club
Date: Saturday 7th June 2003
Chair: John Mellars, Chairman of GB Community Board
Duration: 2.0 hours
Attendance: 98 people

The meeting was a good opportunity for those who had not spoken at the other three meetings to air their views. Those who did speak voiced concerns against the proposal, similar to the other three meetings held to discuss the marine reserve. The majority of those present were against any marine reserve for the north eastern area of Great Barrier Island. No detailed minutes were kept of the meeting but the Department of Conservation (DoC) came in for a lot of criticism regarding their management of land on the island. DoC were not given a special slot, but could speak as a member of the public. Jim Flack, DoC employee, attended but did not speak at the meeting.

John Mellars, chairman, spoke to the meeting and expressed his personal views of why he opposes the marine reserve proposal. His views are summarised below –

1. The marine reserve is not needed
   1. We are all aware that overfishing and siltation are the main causes of marine environmental degradation. This proposal ignores these issues.
   2. Excessive trawling, pair trawling, set netting, gillnetting have reduced fish stocks hugely in the last 30 years or so. Trawling and pair trawling are still common and cause added damage by scrapping the seafloor.
   3. I believe a ban on bulk fishing methods in the Hauraki Gulf, in conjunction with the Quota Management System (QMS) is a more effective way of improving the sustainability of our coastal water resources.
   4. I believe we need to develop better ways of managing man made siltation. It is said that ours comes mainly from the mainland, perhaps Whangarei.
2. I do not trust DoC
   1. On Great Barrier Island the Department of Conservation have a poor reputation based on many years of managing their affairs in a manner that is inconsistent with the needs and aspirations of our communities.
   2. Why is the land under the Tryphena Hall owned by DoC?
   3. Why have DoC not given the land under the Nurses Cottage at Port Fitzroy to the Health Trust?
   4. Why does DoC feel the need to cut down every last Norfolk pine on the island?
   5. Why are DoC objecting to our plan to bridge the stream at Medland Beach before someone is drowned?
   6. Why will DoC not rebuild the Whangaparapara hut destroyed by fire after left in an unsafe condition by DoC staff?
   7. Why does DoC not promote Great Barrier Island as a visitor destination?
   8. Why does DoC make you walk the last 500 metres to get to the beach at Harataonga?
   9. Why will DoC not open the alternate route to Port Fitzroy?
   10. Where in the Bible does it say that every creature is more important than you?

Outcome
Less than 4% of attendees voted in support of the DoC proposal for a marine reserve on the northeastern coast of Great Barrier Island.

Before the vote was taken at the meeting, the DoC representative, Jim Flack, was interviewed and spoke onTV3 news. He said, " A lot of people don't like it in the form that it’s proposed, but from this meeting there was a lot of warm sentiment expressed from the floor in favour."

This statement by Jim was not a true and fair reflection of the Community Board meeting of which Jim was a participant.