This campaign is important because the landfill is degrading the Hōkio environment, through years of mismanagement and non-compliance from the Horowhenua District Council (HDC). It is leaching into groundwater, polluting the Hōkio stream, and the ocean. This is shocking, in a time of climate change - when communities are committing to clean up rivers, lakes and waterways all over the country.
We’re Over It because we strongly support the concerns of local Māori who, for decades, have been ignored and disrespected over the on-going abuse of their rohe.
We’re Over It because the Hōkio community is frequently subject to foul odours - with residents’ complaints to the Horizons Regional Council (HRC) not being dealt with professionally or taken seriously.
We’re Over It because Horizons are not being ‘called out’ over shoddy environmental monitoring of the landfill and the Horowhenua catchment.
We’re Over It because the landfill is consistently in breach of a number of ‘resource consents’ to operate.
We’re Over It because HDC is not responsible and transparent with ratepayers on how the landfill is run, the cost of running it and the debt it’s running up.
Why should you care? Well, if you’re Kāpiti or Horowhenua residents it’s your rubbish so you need to know where it’s going and that it’s not damaging the environment.
Even if it’s not your rubbish, you should be concerned that any community in New Zealand is operating a landfill like this, on a flood plain in coastal sand dune country in the 21st century.
Be on the right side of history and sign our petition.