Police investigating $50k of damage to crane at Waiheke marina, site of protected penguins

Thursday, 27 May 2021

RNZ’s podcast The Detail: The construction of a huge marina on Waiheke Island has been fought in courts for years, but now the frontline is on the beach.

Police are investigating damage to a crane at the controversial Kennedy Point marina site, which the developers say could cost $50,000 to repair.

Security is being beefed-up at the site with project manager Scott Fickling saying the damage to the crane could have put “numerous lives at risk”, had it resulted in the crane seizing up.

He said the locks on a door giving access to the 200-tonne crane were disabled with glue and sand was put into its engine.

A police investigation is underway after equipment at the marina site was damaged.

* Kennedy Point campaigners lose Supreme Court battle to stop Waiheke marina

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Protectors have been occupying the beach in opposition of the marina.

“Following complaints and statements made by Heron Construction, the police are now involved and are taking the interference with private property very seriously,” Fickling said in a statement.

The alleged damage and vandalism happened on or around April 22, he said. Police confirmed a report of wilful damage to equipment was made at the time and said an investigation is underway.

Inspector Beth Houlston said the behaviour was of “significant concern as its reckless nature puts people’s safety at risk”.

The developers are now installing increased onsite signage and security fencing on land and on the water which will identify the construction site footprint, he said.

He said the fencing will not get in the way of the resident kororā, or little blue penguins, which have their burrows in the rock breakwater.

On-site construction – besides these security measures – is on pause pending the outcome of an application to the High Court for interim stop-work orders.

That application was brought by Save Kennedy Point (SKP) and mana whenua and environmental groups, who wanted to ensure the penguins were protected before work went ahead.

Kathryn Voyles from SKP said she was down at the bay this morning and there was a “flurry of activity” with lots of security presence and the police boat on the water.

Protectors who have been occupying the beach also paddled out in kayaks with signs, she said.

She said she knew nothing about the reported damage and said it was not something SKP would ever approve of.

Fickling said the damage was picked up during a routine inspection.