4 A selection of local breaking stories featured this week on... Read these stories in full at www.sunlive.co.nz
Greenpeace’s hot Bridges billboard As a boy from Tauranga, MP Simon Bridges has always wanted his name up in lights – and now he has his wish. The Energy Minister is the subject of Greenpeace’s new 300sqm billboard on the corner of Manners and Cuba Street in Wellington featuring the slogan “Simon Bridges Pants on Fire”. It is accusing the minister of misleading Parliament over a meeting he had with oil company Shell about a controversial Crown Minerals Bill amendment covering deep-sea oil protests. Greenpeace says Simon denied in Parliament having contact with oil companies over the bill amendment that was rushed through Parliament without public consultation. But it then emerged that he had met Shell just weeks before announcing the amendment, say Greenpeace.
Wanted lawyer skips country
A former Tauranga lawyer with a warrant for her arrest on drink driving charges has skipped the country to Australia, say police. Michaela Milner, 32, failed to appear in court on Monday to face charges of drink driving, dangerous driving and failing to provide a blood specimen to police. Sergeant Wayne Hunter says enquiries have revealed she left New Zealand on July 5, headed for Australia. According to police, Milner, who resigned her position with Tauranga law firm Lyon, O’Neale and Arnold last week, was arrested on May 29 after being spotted driving erratically at speeds of around 90km/h down Cameron Rd.
Swan killing accused named
The man accused of running down black swans on Tauranga Harbour on Boxing Day can be named for the first time. Carl Williams, from Katikati, was due to appear in Tauranga District Court on Tuesday charged with ill-treatment/cruelty to an animal, being black swans, under the Animal Welfare Act. He was granted interim name suppression by Community Magistrate Sue Howell during a court appearance on June 20. That suppression lapsed this week. Williams was charged after a joint investigation by the SPCA and Fish & Game New Zealand into the alleged slaughter of black swans on the harbour caught on video.
Couple gift farm to nation
An extensive dry stock and forestry farm in the Papamoa Hills is in the process of being gifted to the nation by its owners to ensure it remains a green belt on the city fringes. David and Cloie Blackley couldn’t bear the thought of their 180ha Summerhill Farm being subdivided for lifestyle blocks or housing, so they are arranging to gift it to the people of New Zealand.
Dog seized after 4-year-old bitten
The dog that attacked a four-year-old boy leaving the child with facial injuries has been seized following an investigation. Around midday last Friday the boy was allegedly bitten by a bull mastiff dog while at the Merivale home of the dog’s owners. The pre-schooler was taken to Tauranga Hospital and later flown to Waikato Hospital by the TrustPower TECT Rescue Helicopter around 3.30pm, where he received specialist care. Tauranga City Council animal services team leader, Brent Lincoln, says the dog has been impounded and further inquiries are being made. News tips call 0800 SUNLIVE or email newsroom@thesun.co.nz
The Weekend Sun
On the parking frontline Tauranga council parking team leader Kevin Nally says abuse of parking officers is an everyday reality. Photo by Bruce Barnard.
Every day John goes to work unsure whether he will be called a faggot or told to get a real job. They are two of the most common insults he is given as a parking officer. “You get used to them,” says John (not his real name) about the insults. “It’s the ones that you’re not expecting that get you. If you take it to heart it’s not the job for you.” Following Hamilton City Council’s decision that parking officers should wear shoulder-mounted cameras, and changes to parking rules in Tauranga CBD, The Weekend Sun took to the street with one of the council’s six parking officers to see how they fare here. John, who has been working as a parking officer for two years, expected a certain
amount of abuse when he started but was surprised by just how vitriolic it is. “It did shock me to start with. I knew it would be a challenging job but I didn’t expect it be as bad as it was.” These days he is more immune to the verbal abuse, and while he has been worried about his own safety about five times, he has never been assaulted. “I’ve only had handful of times when I have been really concerned for my safety with people threatening violence. Whenever it feels like it could get out of hand I just walk away,” Council parking team leader Kevin Nally says a record of minor incidents against parking officers – such as being shouted at, spat at, sworn at and insulted – is not kept. “Unfortunately, this is often an everyday reality for parking officers,” says Kevin. He says the council see how Hamilton
gets on with the cameras before considering them here. There have been five physical assaults on officers during the last six years, two of which have resulted in criminal convictions. John says the frequency of abuse varies – sometimes going weeks without any issues – then having a handful of verbal attacks within a week. From what he’s heard, John believes the incidence of abuse is lower than Auckland or Hamilton – something he puts down to the more relaxed feel and greater proportion of old people here. John is unsure whether Tauranga should follow Hamilton and approve officers to wear cameras to deter abuse and attacks. While he believes it will deter some people from abusing officers, he questions if the extent of the problem warranted it here. By Hamish Carter
Tickets winning over fines Exceeding time limits remain Tauranga City Council’s biggest earner when it comes to parking fines, a breakdown of the figures reveals. During the 2012-13 financial year the city issued 17,255 parking tickets, against 10,072
for traffic offences, which included 8121 for no registration, and 1951 for no current Warrant of Fitness. There were 2879 tickets issued for illegal parking: such as parking on broken yellow lines, or footpaths. The bulk of the city’s $1,414,542 income came from parking fines. The income from traffic offences counts for a smaller percentage, with the government taking the major proportion.
The figure compares with $1,343,305 collected in parking fines for the financial year that ended on 30 June 2012, and with $1,422,871 collected for the financial year that ended on 30 June 2011. Most of the parking tickets and infringement notices were issued in CBD (18,549). There were 2925 in the Downtown Mount and 1041 in Greerton Village. A further 7691 were issued across the rest of the city.
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