Saving the kauri?

The Herald reports:

Protests have caused the Government to discuss a council decision allowing the destruction of old kauri and rimu trees. …

Yet Ms Barry said claims the kauri was up to 500 years old were not proved, and a PhD scholar said the tree was actually 100-200 years old.

The rimu was reportedly 300 years old.

I’m against blanket protection orders by Councils for thousands of trees. I support the current law which is a Council must pick out individual trees for protection if they are of very special value.

If the kauri is 500 years old, then I would say it should have been protected by the Council. However their failure to do so should not prevent the land owner from exercising his legal rights. If people want to save the kauri, they can buy the land back off the owner.

Labour MP and former party leader David Cunliffe offered to join Mr Tavares up the kauri.

That may increase the number of Labour MPs wishing to cut the tree down.