Swimming Pool Fencing: Judgement

Pool Owners Action Group Spokesman: Gary Osborne

In his judgement released on 1 October, Judge Randerson pointed out that the proper interpretation of "immediate pool area" was a key issue. Waitakere City Council had taken a restrictive view.

A secondary issue related to doors providing access to a pool from a building.

The Councils argued that activities in conjunction with pool use must occur exclusively. This was rejected by the Judge in paragraph 31. He deemed BBQ's and entertaining OK (para 32,33).

He pointed out a most unsatisfactory inconsistency between the Building Code and FOSP Act 1987 regarding fence construction. (para 50). He also pointed out Sliding Doors are exempted from Clause F.4.3.5 of the Building Code. (para 49)

Many pool owners, especially in Waitakere City, will be relieved that nit-picking interpretations of the FOSP Act have now been rejected and Pool inspectors will have to exercise a much higher degree of common sense before instigating prosecution notices!

© Scoop Media

Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>