Far North Maori have launched a double assault on the government's decision to build a prison at Ngawha, near Kaikohe.
A group of Ngapuhi are appealing against a decision by the Environment Court allowing the prison to go ahead. Ngapuhi say the site at Ngawha near Kaikohe is spiritually and culturally important, and that in granting approval the Environment Court ignored those factors.
A group of Ngapuhi youth occupied the Wellington head office of the Department of Corrections, demanding minister Matt Robson resign. Police were called, but the protesters left peacefully.
And more Ngapuhi gathered outside the high court in Wellington as the tribe's lawyers argued their case inside.
But a lawyer representing the Minister of Corrections told the Wellington High Court only a small number of Maori object to the building of a prison in Northland.
Phillip Milne says the prison should not be prevented from going ahead because of objections from a small minority and that would amount to a right of veto. He also questioned how physical works can interfere with spiritual belief.
The appeal against the prison will conclude on Friday.
Meanwhile, a site at Milburn, 35 minutes south of Dunedin, has been ear-marked as the most likely site for the new Otago Prison.
The Department of Corrections says it is the leading option of about 40 potential sites.
Robson says further investigation of the site and consultation with the local community will take place before a final decision is made.
The $100 million regional prison, about five kilometres from Milton, will house 330 inmates and will replace the old Victorian jail in Dunedin.
Robson says the project will create 190 jobs and pump $8.5 million into the local economy each year.
