Media Release

6 November 2006

Zero-tolerance for antisocial behaviour

A small group of individuals have made Waitakere residents pay a heavy price for this year’s Guy Fawkes celebrations.

Massey Community Board chairman Graeme Barnard says a small number of “idiots” did their best to spoil Guy Fawkes for everyone.

“I’m not against fireworks but I am absolutely against this small antisocial group who are trying to ruin the festivities for everyone,” Mr Barnard says.

“In Massey over the weekend we had burning furniture, bonfires being lit in the middle of residential streets and other abhorrent behaviour,” he says.

Mr Barnard says the Massey Community Board has zero-tolerance for these antisocial youths.

“The community needs to work together with the council and make sure it reports all these incidents so we can catch these idiots,” he says.

“We also have zero-tolerance for speeding and crime in our community too,” he says.

Torched toilet blocks, written-off wheelie rubbish bins and truckloads of firework-related litter were just some of the incidents the council has had to respond to.

All of these incidents cost considerable ratepayer money to respond to and resolve.

In contrast, the public Waitakere Fireworks Display was a spectacularly pleasant success.

A massive crowd of up to 10,000 gathered at the Waitakere Stadium in Henderson to witness the biggest ribcage-rattling, sternum-shaking, good-old fashioned fun fireworks display in Auckland.

ENDS

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