Cutting vehicular access to the summit of Takarunga (Mt Victoria) has been a contentious issue for some Devonport residents.

Racist comments derail a public meeting called to discuss access to a popular Auckland volcano, Devonport's Mt Victoria.

The meeting was organised for Thursday night by a group of Devonport residents upset at the Tūpuna Maunga ō Tāmaki Makaurau Authority over its decision in March to close vehicular access to Mt Victoria, known as Takarunga in te reo Māori, in particular because of a lack of community consultation.

Tūpuna Maunga Authority chairman Paul Majurey said the decision had been made to preserve the revered natural attraction and get people rethinking how they interacted with the whenua.

But some members of the community didn't agree with Majurey's reasoning, and the meeting got off to a bad start when a member of the public demanded English be spoken.

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The mihi traditional Māori welcome, which had been listed as a protocol for the meeting, was interrupted by the member who felt speaking in the official language was "disrespectful".

Simon Maude "There is a great love and affection for Takarunga which is why were were all there as a common base." Paul Majurey

"Please speak in a language 99 per cent of us here understand," said a man who identified himself as Simon Clark.

"If I stood here and spoke Cantonese, Mandarin or Eskimo, would anybody stay?"

Hauraki resident Laura Martin said the mihi ended up switching to English half-way through as a result of the bickering, which she said numerous people were involved in.

Laine Moger A view from Takarunga (Mt Victoria), Devonport on a sunny day.

"Throughout the time Maunga Authority were answering questions, there were so many racist remarks throughout the crowd," Martin (Ngapuhi, Te Rarawa) said.

"There was no respect at all [but] the Maunga Authority handled it with the calmest attitude.

"They stayed polite and peaceful through the whole thing."

Simon Maude Devonport-Takapuna Local Board Chairman George Wood agreed changes needed to be made to preserve Takarunga.

Majurey described the incident as "unfortunate", especially considering the mihi had been agreed to by the group ahead of the meeting.

"In the Māori world, this was a real break of protocol ... there was a real strength of feeling," Majurey said.

He felt the events of the night showed there was great love and affection for Takarunga, "while we were all there as a common base."

Devonport-Takapuna Local Board chairman George Wood agreed the mountain was "very important" to the people of Devonport and said measures needed to be taken to preserve it.

"The maunga, Mount Victoria, and the other 13 across the Auckland regions need to be looked after in a much better way than they have in the last 150 years, since Auckland was colonised," Wood said.

A post on a Devonport community Facebook page expressed disappointment at Thursday's audience and had received almost 100 supportive comments.

"[I am] ashamed and disgusted at the lack of respect shown by Devonport locals towards the Maunga Authority," the post said.

Devonport's Geoff Chapple organised the meeting to present a petition to the maunga authority signed by 1200 Devonport residents and stating:

1. That easy and unobstructed access to the tihi/summit should be enhanced rather than restricted, as occurred on March 1, 2018 when the Tupuna Maunga Authority imposed a restrictive barrier arm on the maunga road.

2. That no further works impacting on the maunga's roading and parking infrastructure should proceed without the demonstrable support of local mana whenua, Devonport residents, and other Aucklanders directly affected by such decisions.

3. That in all future interactions, the Devonport community expects the Authority to consult widely, and not simply impose its will, in an authoritarian manner.

* Story updated as the number of people making racist remarks is disputed by meeting organisers.