The Otaraua hapu (sub-tribe) has been "peacefully occupying" the access route to the field since about 22 March in protest against Greymouth's plans to build a gas pipeline that would, potentially, run through the tribe's Tikorangi pa waahi tapu (sacred site).
There have been no physical confrontations, but the disagreement between Greymouth and the Otaraua hapu has proven intractable, although there were unconfirmed reports as Upstream went to press that a solution was being negotiated that would see Greymouth run its pipeline around the sacred site.
The
