It was a siege which would last 22 hours, ending with gunman David Gray’s death in a shootout with police. By then he had killed 13 people.
Before that, many New Zealanders may not have heard of Aramoana, other than in connection with the campaign in the 1970s and early ’80s to stop the ill- considered proposal for a second smelter there. That campaign led to the residents of the area announcing their secession from New Zealand in December 1980, complete with a flag, stamps, a border post, passports, and citizenship certificates.
Those in this part of the world old enough to remember the Aramoana tragedy will readily recall their disbelief that such a horrific event, then the country’s worst mass killing, was happening on their doorstep.
As the terror of the night continued into the next day, it seemed incongruous the sun could be shining when so many lives were shattered and there were still people trapped in the township fearing for their lives.
With such tragedies there are always the ‘‘what ifs’’.
Could the crisis have been averted if Gray had received mental health treatment or if there had been much tougher gun laws?
If much stricter gun control had been brought in in the aftermath, how many other senseless killings might have been avoided, including those at the Christchurch mosques?
Former National politician John Banks, who was the police minister at the time of the Aramoana shootings pushed for comprehensive gun reform afterwards, but pressure from the gun lobby and the rural community meant the law changes fell short of a ban on importing semi-automatic weapons.
He has described the lack of action on that as the missed political opportunity of the 1990s, and not being able to get the numbers to get the ban through as the greatest disappointment of his political life.
Such uncomfortable reflections are understandable, but they do not alter the sad facts of what happened or recognise the courage of the residents and the police and other personnel involved in the emergency.
Thirty years on, it is inspiring to read of survivor Julie-Anne Tamati’s forgiveness of the man who murdered her adopted daughter and partner. She has planted daffodils on the site of Gray’s old house and also reached out to his family in the aftermath of the tragedy.
In her generosity, she could recognise their situation, where they could not openly grieve because of the anger at Gray and them.
She acknowledged it was difficult for some to understand her stance but she seemed to find a freedom in that forgiveness, not to forget, but a release which stopped her being overwhelmed by the tragedy for the rest of her life.
Similar views have been shared by some of those close to those slain in the Christchurch mosques’ massacre.
Today, the beauty and tranquillity of Aramoana remain to be enjoyed and celebrated. People still love visiting. People still love living in this small settlement where one of its streets bears the apt name Plucky. Those who died and who were scarred by this terrible event must not be forgotten, but Bill O’Brien (author of Aramoana: Twenty-two Hours of Terror) is right when he says we should do what we can to avoid Aramoana being defined by tragedy.
