Is life dying on Great Barrier? | Auckland News | Local News in Auckland

Great Barrier Island has seen better days, but Paul Downie has plans to see it prosper again.

Since 1996, the population has dropped by 25 per cent, and now sits at around 850. There are half as many people under the age of 25 as there were 15 years ago and twice as many over the age of 50.

The Fuller's fast ferry now shows up only on public holidays and the island has one of the the highest levels of deprivation in Auckland.

Paul Downie, chairman of Great Barrier Local Board, says schooling difficulties and a lack of job opportunities have seen young families flee.

Things started going downhill when the island came under the jurisdiction of the former Auckland City Council in 1989 and was subject to the Hauraki Gulf Islands District Plan in 1996. Before that, it had its own county council and the population was growing.

"Residents found themselves getting abatement notices and prosecutions as the council decided to enforce the Resource Management Act. Only one property could be built for every [40ha] and you couldn't cut a pohutukawa branch if it was blocking your solar-power panel," says Mr Downie.

He says the tough rules scared people away and stifled opportunities.

"People were being outgunned by a large powerful bureaucracy. Their lives were being impacted by harassment and obstruction."

Problems were addressed in 2000, after documents were tabled in Parliament detailing 165 allegations of "abuses of power" by council officials.

A 10-year review of the plan started in 2006, and also resulted in concessions. Now residents can remove manuka branches longer than 1m from around their homes for firebreaks, and build two houses instead of one per 49ha. Several private appeals are still to be settled in the Environment Court before the revised plan can come into effect. The result will be a more tailor-made plan, which Mr Downie says has every likelihood of becoming a component of the Auckland Unitary Plan.

Becoming part of Auckland has had positive spin-offs. The island's main airport terminal at Claris has been improved and a large chunk of the main road sealed. A wharf upgrade is planned at Tryphena - although there's still no reticulated water, power or sewerage.

"There's only 1430 privately owned properties on the island," Mr Downie says. "It's not a robust ratepayer base for a stand-alone council."

The chairman has several ideas for getting the island humming again. One involves retaining young people.

"There's no secondary school on the island and Government subsidies for families whose children attend boarding school cover less than a quarter of the cost. To make matters worse, we've just found out our students don't fall within the zone of any Auckland schools." (See Island Education here)

He says the island also needs widespread broadband and cellphone coverage. At the moment, most of Great Barrier is limited to internet speeds of 12-28kb.

"The first thing visitors do is pull out their cellphones and look at them in amazement - there's no reception at all. People expect it anywhere in the world. You can't create economic opportunities in a void like that."

The local board is seeking funding for broadband and cellphone coverage in the north and Medlands area, and a $1 million Ministry of Economic Development fund will support the East Coast.

Barrier to success
Not everyone supports the moves. Local board member Susan Daly favours broadband hubs, such as the local library, and doesn't want to see cellphone towers on every ridge.

"In future, places where people can't be contacted will be appreciated."

There are few outward signs of deprivation as most houses are hidden in the bush. But Mr Downie says islanders are hampered by food and fuel prices.

Half of income earners receive less than $17,000 a year, and many rely on work during the peak visitor season.

Mr Downie believes the environment came before the people in the district plan, but acknowledges its importance. Seventy per cent of the island is owned or managed by the Department of Conservation and there are no stoats, weasels, ferrets, possums, deer, Norwegian rats or hedgehogs. He describes it as a "natural attraction".

He says more needs to be done to keep visitors coming year round.

Some planned events this year include a garden tour, a Barrier Blokes' Day and a wharf-to-wharf marathon. He also sees a need for more walking tracks as a drawcard for tourists, but not a marine reserve.

"We reached a low point with DoC when they tried to shove a marine reserve down our throats five years ago. It would've covered a large part of the island and meant no 'take' in perpetuity. But for many here, seafood is part of the diet."

Accordingly he'd like to see the Fisheries Act changed. Quotas have been taken up by larger companies which has seen activity shift back to the mainland. That means tourists can't be guaranteed a Great Barrier-caught fish in local restaurants.

"Visitors ask for a locally caught snapper but we don't know whether it is or not. Any fish is taken to Auckland, processed and brought back. By the time it's gone to town and put in the freezer it'll be several days old."

ISLAND LIFE

• 90km northeast of Auckland, 40km long, 16km wide. 60 per cent of island's property is owned offshore.
• Average population for Auckland Council's 21 local boards is 62,129 - Howick is the largest with 113,508. Great Barrier has around 850.
• Great Barrier's local board oversees a budget of $2.52 million (Howick's is $18.4 million).
• Island is 3C warmer than Auckland. It has geothermal hot springs.
• It costs $124 for a one-way flight to Auckland. Costs $65 to travel on the 4 hour Sealink Ferry. A vehicle costs an extra $230.
• Flights leave island up to seven times a day, vehicle ferry around four times a week.