Tama Potaka: Conservation Minister on the 'short-term fix' set to help Cathedral Cove open up by Christmas

The Government's promised an extra financial boost to help Coromandel’s closed Cathedral Cove track open up by summer.

The popular beach has been inaccessible by land since February last year, after being damaged by landslides caused by Cyclone Gabrielle.

DOC has been allocated $5 million to plan, build, reopen and maintain walking access to the cove.

Conservation Minister Tama Potaka says they've done their due diligence to create the perfect short-term fix.

"The first part is to get the short-term fix for Christmas this year, so we can be down there in December. The long-term fix might take a couple years to work through and figure out how to make it sustainable."

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Good news for the Coramandel because it's just been announced
walking access to Cathedral Cove is going to be back
in time for summer. The government has pledged five million
dollars for a fix to the walkway, which has been
closed since cyclone. Gabriel Tama Portucke is the Conservation Minister.

Speaker 2 (00:13):
Hay Tummer Jadada.

Speaker 1 (00:16):
I'm stoked about this. I am stoked about this, But
explain to me how we have gone from it may
never open ever again in January to six months later
in July. Yep, we can open it for five million bucks.
How did that happen?

Speaker 2 (00:27):
Well, it's absolutely pleasure to be part of promise that
Christoph Luxin's capnet and he wants to get things done.
We're very targeted and solutions focused around looking after our
land and sea for future generations. So the aising with
Doc and the community were deliberated, made a decision We've
got to fix it, get on with it.

Speaker 1 (00:44):
So Doc was saying, I think in February that the
hillside was still unsafe and things may still tumble down
like gigantic rocks may tumble down and squash people. Is
that not going to happen?

Speaker 2 (00:54):
Well, I think that we'll live on the top of
tech toilement plates that come together. We do have some challenges,
but they've done some due diligence. They've worked with experts.
They've figured out a way how we can minimize those
risks and create a safe environment for people to walk
down to the beach and enjoy the great place of
Cathedral Coat.

Speaker 1 (01:13):
Were they catastrophizing the situation at DOC because they didn't
want to have to pay for this? Is that what
was really going on?

Speaker 2 (01:20):
No, I think there's an absolute appetite to have both
a short and a long term fix, not only just
for the walking track, but the car parking and a
whole range of other things. And I've worked deliberately to
get to a solution and I've encouraged them along.

Speaker 1 (01:31):
Yeah, and this money. Is this coming out of Dock's
budget or is it out of special new money?

Speaker 2 (01:36):
No, this money has emerged from the International Visitor Levy
DOC and the Tourism Crew. We get fifty percent each
of the International visit a levy paid by international visitors,
and every year we've been fortunate enough to get some
funds which we can apply to important projects like Cathedral
Code Cool and.

Speaker 1 (01:54):
How long is five million bucks going to keep this
walkway open for well.

Speaker 2 (01:58):
I think there's both a short term and long term
solution that's underway. The first part is to get the
short term fix for Christmas this year so we can
be down there in December, and the long term flex
might take a couple of years to work through and
figure out and make it sustainable.

Speaker 1 (02:14):
Tama, thank you so much for taking the time to
talk to us. I really appreciate it, and best of
luck getting that walkway up and people are going to
be stoked. That's Tuma Pawtucker, the Conservation Minister.

Speaker 2 (02:22):
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