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‘A very emotional week’: Hundreds gather to remember Mt Maunganui landslide victims
Angela Amohanga walked into the vigil ground with six sombre black balloons in tow.
Each of them carried the name of a victim of Mount Maunganui’s deadly landslide a week earlier.
“I just wanted to do a tribute for an occasion that none of us liked, I think it’s touched many people,” she said.
The names were inked in gold especially to remember Lisa Anne Maclennan, 50, who has been described as a hero for waking up other campers.
“So, got the gold, you know, hearts of gold, I’ve got a heart of gold and I just wanted to pass it on to them and especially their families,” Amohanga said.
“I can only imagine what they’re going through … I know if it was me, I would want to be in there, getting my family out.”
Angela Amohanga walked into the vigil ground with six sombre black balloons in tow. Photo: RNZ / Kim Baker Wilson
Through tears, she spoke of a feeling of devastation.
It was the same as what many of the thousand or so people at the vigil were feeling.
For seven long days there has been a sense of heaviness across Mount Maunganui, and it was hoped the vigil could lift a little of that weight.
Angela Armer said it was important to come for a sense of connection.
“It’s affected a lot of people and you just feel that everybody’s been affected by it,” she said.
“It’s been a very emotional week, it really has, and all we can do is just imagine what the parents are going through and the families, you know.
“It goes deep for a lot of people.”
More than 1000 people attended the vigil. Photo: RNZ / Kim Baker Wilson
Relatives of victims were slowly guided and welcomed onto the grounds after attending an earlier, private ceremony with emergency workers.
Older people from the community were asked sit in seats next to them in a show of support.
“We all feel for the ones that have gone and their family,” another attendee, Liz, said.
She too was visibly upset.
“It’s so close to home, it could have been one of us or one of our family.”
Sitting on the ground next to her was Joy.
“I’ve climbed it and been around it many, many times and I feel for what’s happened down here is such a tragedy to our little Mount,” she said.
“And I feel for everybody that’s here and it’s quite emotional.”
She described the turnout as incredible.
“We’ve got a beautiful night for it too,” she added.
A performance at the vigil for Mt Maunganui landslide victims as the sun went down. Photo: RNZ / Kim Baker Wilson
The service progressed as the sun went down and the light faded.
It was scheduled so most of it was to simply be together, the speeches made up only a small part.
Many stood with their arm around the person next to them.
Angela, sitting with Joy and Liz, said people were trying to feel a bit more normal.
“We expected a lot of people to be here because a lot of people do feel for what has happened at the Mount,” she said.
“And I think a lot of people, there’s nothing that we can do about it so we come together to support each other in this strange feeling that we have.
“And everybody has this feeling of loss… I don’t know what it is, it’s a human thing, isn’t it? Getting together to mourn and pay respects.”
Many attendees stood with their arm around the person next to them. Photo: RNZ / Kim Baker Wilson
The air was pierced with waiata with singing from Te Wharekura o Mauao and performer Ria Hall.
Six names were also read out – Lisa, Måns, Jacqueline, Susan, Sharon, and Max.
Tauranga mayor Mahé Drysdale also acknowledged 10-year-old Austen Richardson and his grandmother Yao Fang, the victims of another slip in Pāpāmoa.
“One week ago today, tragedy struck our city and it changed our lives forever, we stand here tonight in solidarity with the families that devastatingly lost their loved ones.”
He said the community deeply felt their grief.
“It has been a hard week for everyone and it is bringing your loved ones home that has got us all through,” Drysdale said.
The mayor also paid tribute to volunteers and emergency workers who he said were continuing to work tirelessly.
“Tonight is about processing the tragic events of last week, it’s about supporting each other, it’s about sharing experience and hoping that we can start the recovery.
“Just thank you to the families for your strength.”
Speeches made up only a small part of the commemoration. Photo: RNZ / Kim Baker Wilson
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said the families were going through unimaginable grief.
“And those first three days since that landslide occurred at the Mount Maunganui campground, every New Zealander, I’m telling you, was hoping for a miracle that I spoke to up and down this country,” he said.
“And we were then devastated to receive the news that we’d all been dreading, and that was a particular cruelty that in this awful event, there were families that had actually just been celebrating a Kiwi summer at an awesome Kiwi campground.
“And I want to say to the families, though I know it does not ease your grief or your pain or your suffering, I want you to know that New Zealand is with you, we grieve with you, every one of us stands with you at this very difficult and challenging time,” he said.
“We can’t take away your pain, but we can carry some of its weight for you and alongside you.”
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said the families were going through unimaginable grief. Photo: RNZ / Kim Baker Wilson
Work at the base of Mauao was ongoing and Police said workers were expected to be there for some time.
Stephen Ireland, also at the vigil, had made a point of going to one of the re-opened cafes.
“It was quite good, but it was a pretty quiet, sort of subdued atmosphere, I guess.
“Having a coffee and then, because those diggers were just working there next to us, basically, and the trucks pulling the dirt out, it’s pretty surreal.
“Unbelievable, really.”
rnz
The chief executive of the Parliamentary Service is confident there will be enough room to accommodate the increased number of MPs and their staff coming into Parliament.
On current numbers, up to 131 MPs could be sitting in the Chamber following the election, brought on by a record overhang result.
Clerk of the House of Representatives Dr David Wilson told the Spinoff that currently the debating chamber had enough chairs to seat 124 MPs – including the Speaker of the House – and work was being done to accommodate more by altering the seating arrangement.
In a statement, Parliamentary Service chief executive Rafael Gonzalez-Montero said planning for a larger Parliament had been going for “some time”.
“Now that the election results have confirmed an increase to the number of members we are looking at several options.
“We are confident we will be able to accommodate all members within the Chamber.”
VNP / Phil Smith
Gonzalez-Montero said office accommodation for members and their staff would be “stretched” for a short time, but the new Members’ Building was only a few months away from “practical completion”.
That building – located behind Parliament – was due to be ready to occupy in April next year and had capacity to accommodate around 30 backbench MPs.
“All members should be in fit-for-purpose accommodation from that point,” Gonzalez-Montero said.
Following the 2023 election, 123 MPs sat in the Chamber – a record number at the time. That decreased to 122 following the resignation of National MP Judith Collins.
Collins held the seat of Papakura and stepped down in May and Parliament voted against holding a by-election because it was too close to the election.
The election result also meant high-ranking National Party MPs like Chris Bishop, Paul Goldsmith, Nicola Willis and Gerry Brownlee – Speaker of the House and an MP for 30 years – would likely not make it back into Parliament.
Only resigning or retiring MPs were permitted to give a valedictory speech meaning none of them would get the chance to give a valedictory statement.
Asked if their would be special allowances for valedictories, Wilson said in a statement that normally only MPs were allowed to speak in the House but the House could suspend its own rules or temporarily alter them.
“It could do so to allow former members to address the House.”
Wilson said no such arrangements could be made until the next Parliament opened and members sworn in.
rnz
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