More than 800 people gathered this afternoon to protest against Ports of Auckland extending a wharf 100 metres into the Waitemata Harbour.
Protesters on Queen's Wharf. Photo: RNZ / Murielle Baker
Construction on the Bledisloe Wharf will begin next month but protesters say there has been no consultation, hence the public outcry.
Up to 100 boats and yachts joined the protest on the water, sailing past and tooting their horns to the crowd.
Several hundred people gathered on Queens Wharf to protest the Ports of Auckland's plan to extend Bledisloe Wharf into the harbour.
From left to right, sailor Chris Dickson, National MP Nikki Kaye, America’s Cup broadcaster Peter Montgomery (speaking) and protest organisers Millie and Michael Goldwater. Photo: RNZ / Murielle Baker
Speakers at the protest included Auckland councillors, National and Labour MPs, and boating personalities such as Pete Montgomery.
The protest group that organised the rally, Stop Stealing our Harbour, wants work halted on the project until a study on the social, economic and environmental affects can be done.
Protest organiser Julie Stout said people were angry that had not happened.
"We've been promised a study for two years now by the mayor, this study never happened, and in the meantime Ports managed to get resource consent and the go-ahead to build two 100 metre long wharves into our harbour, and they have been going to fill them in, so it's all been development by stealth as we see it."