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Bastion Point - The Untold Story
Television (Full Length) – 1999
In 1977 protesters occupied Bastion Point, after the announcement of a housing development on land once belonging to Ngāti Whātua. On 25 May 1978, police and army arrived en masse to remove them. This documentary examines the history of Bastion Point/Takaparawhau — including how questionable methods were used to gradually take land from Māori, while working sewage was withheld from those remaining. Featured are interviews with Joe Hawke, one of the protest leaders, and former police — plus footage of the day police arrived to arrest protesters, from documentary Bastion Point Day 507.
One wondered at the time whether in fact we needed to be there. Whether it was a bad call or not, we were told to do [it], and what we did we did.– Former Police Superintendant Pat Gaines
Key Cast & Crew
See all 15 credits
Produced by
Morrison Grieve
Acknowledgements
Made with funding from NZ On Air
More Information
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Joe Hawke and & daughter Sharon Hawke recall Bastion Point, Radio New Zealand website, May 2018
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History of the Ōrakei claim at the Waitangi Tribunal, Waitangi Tribunal website
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Obituary of Bastion Point protester Joe Hawke, Stuff, June 2022
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Tribute to Joe Hawke by law professor David Williams, Metro, July 2022
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