Dear Sir,

A suspicious suitcase owned by Peter Davis, the partner of Helen Clark, and left on the footpath outside her Auckland residence gets a visit from the VIP protection service, is investigated by the "specialist search group" and is blown up by the "improvised explosive device team".

What caused this furore. In Helen's absence Peter put out the wheelie bin rubbish. The suitcase would not fit so he left it on the footpath.

I thought (as in Wellington) if rubbish does not fit in either the bins, official bags or whatever one uses for general rubbish collection and is not able to fit in the recycle bins, it does not get left out as it will not be collected.

A suitcase is hardly general household rubbish for collection by the city council Waste Operatives, and should have been taken by the owner to the local rubbish tip for disposal.

A precedent seems to have been set here that if we mere rate paying mortals were to follow, would result in garbage ridden footpaths and/or a visit from some over-zealous council official demanding we take the stuff to the tip ourselves.

We would certainly not have half the nation's VIP protection squad running around to ensure our safety.

Mirek Marcanik