Auckland council chooses not to close the Watakeres

From The Panel, 4:18 pm on 5 December 2017
Kauri in the Waitakere Ranges

Kauri in the Waitakere Ranges Photo: RNZ / Sally Murphy

The Auckland Council has voted against closing the Waitakere Ranges as a way of stopping the spread of the kauri dieback disease.

Councillors voted this afternoon in favour of keeping the regional park open but closing seven high-risk tracks.

The mayor, Phil Goff, says he's sympathetic to calls for the ranges to be closed, but it would be impossible to stop people entering the park even if it was closed.

He says it will be better to close high-risk tracks and spend more money on track maintenance, hygiene stations and educating the public about the disease