Children and adults protest together
The protest was planned to begin at Albert Park at 1pm with a rally and speeches, then travel down Wellesley St and Queen St before finishing at Te Komititanga Square – formerly known as Queen Elizabeth II square.
Attendees took to social media this afternoon, sharing photos and videos capturing children and adults carrying colourful signs.
Thousands took to the streets of Auckland today to march in protest against the Government’s Conservation Amendment Bill. Photo / Greenpeace
One person at the event, Geoff Leckie, told the Herald the atmosphere was “unreal” and “really joyous”.
“I am an old coot and have been doing the odd protest since the Vietnam War, but this was an eclectic bunch of very positive people who really want to make a point,” Leckie said.
Rongoā Māori Practitioner and researcher, Bianca Fallon, said she attended the event with her 10-year-old son, Tāwhirimātea.
“Somehow we were right up the front, which was exciting. To support a kaupapa that should not even be up for discussion really hit home because we attended with our 10-year-old who is mana whenua; seeing everyone gather as one voice, the mauri was beautiful,” Fallon said.
Fallon said it was Tāwhirimātea’s first protest march.
Rongoā Māori Practitioner and researcher, Bianca Fallon, said she attended the event with her 10-year-old son, Tāwhirimātea.
Greenpeace spokesperson Gen Toop said Prime Minister Christopher Luxon “badly underestimated” how much New Zealanders cared about conservation land.
Toop said protesters were sending a clear message to the Government that public conservation land was not theirs to exploit.
“We will not stand by while they dismantle its protections.”
Forest and Bird spokesperson Richard Capie said the march showed how nature brought New Zealanders together.
“There is no more powerful unifying force in Aotearoa than te taiao. The message to politicians is clear: stand up for nature, and New Zealanders will stand with you.
“If you sell off conservation land, weaken environmental protections, or put short-term profit ahead of our future, New Zealanders will hold you to account,” Capie said.
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson attended the March for Nature in Auckland. Photo / Sylvie Whinray
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson attended the march, where she announced that, if elected, the Greens would scrap changes she said were gutting environmental protections.
“The Green Party will put people and nature before corporate profits, we will ensure public conservation land is for nature, not for profits and that environment is protected from corporate greed,” Davidson said.
Conservation Minister Tama Potaka in June backtracked by scrapping contentious clauses from the bill after public pressure over fears large parts of conservation land would be sold.
Potaka said he did not support land being sold en masse and said that was not his intention, but conceded he did not communicate the proposals well enough and removed them from the bill.
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones said at the time New Zealand First was in favour of getting economic outcomes from conservation land and would push for it if re-elected.
The updated Conservation Amendment Bill is yet to pass in Parliament.
It is at the select committee stage and requires two more readings before passing into law.