20 April 2021
Media: Local Democracy Reporter
Topic: Vandalism at Aquatic Centre
Enquiry
I understand the Aquatic Centre might have been damaged last night by vandals? Can you please tell me more?
(Back Door also had a window smashed in and I'm about to confirm if Oppies and Farmers were also affected, just btw).
Response
From Sport, Recreation & Environment Manager Rob Pitkethley:
Early this morning Watchdog Security were alerted by waste disposal contractors who drove past and saw the damage (to the front entrance door). Watchdog contacted Rotorua Aquatic Centre staff and the Police.
We understand that no one entered the premise as nothing had been touched and the internal alarms weren't activated.
Clean up took place early this morning, and replacement glass and an electrician have been organised to repair the damage to the automatic door.
The Police and Watchdog are now reviewing CCTV footage.
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Media: NZME (Rotorua Daily Post and BOP Times)
Topic: Museum project delays
Enquiry
I would like some comments from the mayor please in response to the delay for the Rotorua museum https://www.nzherald.co.nz/rotorua-daily-post/news/te-whare-taonga-o-te-arawa-rotorua-museum-opening-is-delayed/5JRNCP4UBCG6LO73XBBBJ6EVBA/ .
Basically, what are your thoughts on the delay? Are you disappointed?
Subsequent enquiry:
Please find below the comments that I'd like to put to you for a right of response.
"To me, it just seems crazy. All of this work that they are saying they are discovering like the pumice foundations, they've known about it the whole time. I really don't know what the new issue is.
"I think the council needs to be honest with us and tell us what the new issues are because Rotorua ratepayers are paying for a lot of this work."
... Rotorua Trust donated $10 million towards the museum rebuild. Despite this, news of the delay was a surprise for the trust.
"We haven't been told about it, other than the [press release], we haven't been informed."
Response
From Rotorua Mayor Steve Chadwick:
Our iconic museum is much-loved by both our local community and visitors and we all want to see it re-opened as quickly as possible, but will have to remain patient as these complexities are worked through.
We've always said it was a complex building and that it wasn't going to be a simple project. We knew we would need to take the time and care necessary to restore it, in keeping with its heritage status and its importance to Rotorua and New Zealand.
The following response was provided to the subsequent enquiry:
Please see below and please also note, the release did not say that the pumice foundations have just been discovered. The pumice foundations were given as one of the complexities of the project.
Key stakeholders, including funders, have been kept informed.
Regarding the new challenges, please refer to the following paragraphs in the release:
"As the design reached the most complex atrium area the challenge of strengthening a heritage building sited on geothermal ground resulted in buildability and risk questions. It is prudent to assess alternatives now versus continuing without adequate risk mitigations in place."
Additional expertise has been brought in to the project to assist in resolving a range of issues that have surfaced during the pre-construction phase that require further investigation and advice to inform the structural solutions for this building.
"It's important that we have the best information to get the right solution for the complexities we are dealing with, such as 1908 unreinforced pumice masonry structures, a very heavy roof and challenging geothermal ground conditions," explains Mikaere.
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Media: Local Democracy Reporter
Topic: Saving Springfield meeting
Enquiry
I got a fair whack of comment from [Council officers who presented to the meeting] this evening regarding the Westbrook Sport and Rec Precinct proposal but would like to provide these comments from the meeting for right of reply in case there were any other points the council and or the mayor wished to make in response.
Founder of Facebook group Saving Springfield Golf Course Dee Dee Kusabs :
"How dare you. How dare you hatch such a despicable proposal. How dare you even consider the destruction of this taonga. How dare you conspire to obliterate any of these important oxygen-giving 70-year-old heritage trees.
"How dare you jeopardise the physical, mental, financial and spiritual well-being of the people of Rotorua.
"To our mayor and councillors I would say be honourable, be worthy, be truthful, be trustworthy, be kind, be honest and mostly beware. We have woken up.
"This proposal does not pass the sniff test."
One punter called on councillors to address the meeting "rather than letting staff take the flak".
Raj Kumar:
"Welcome to the talk show tonight," he said.
"When I was coming here tonight, I was hoping to hear some other stories, then the propaganda.
"When I was young and I didn't want to go to sleep our granddad used to come over and tell us stories. A lot of them were fairy tales, but they did put us to sleep.
"The point is, don't believe everything you hear. Think for yourself and think for the future of what your community, our community is going to be about.
"If I am biased, I have been biased for the last six years since I have been in [the] council, fighting to save Springfield. This war began a long time ago."
"I am here not only as a councillor but also as a resident of the community who has not been informed fully.
"I am available any time of the day to save our community, whether it's from flooding or whether it's from any other propaganda. We will save this golf course.
"Please make it known to the other councillors as well, that there's one biased councillor."
Golf player and nearby resident Don Paterson said he woke up from "nightmares of bulldozers".
He said Rotorua should make golfing a tourism drawcard as it had with mountain-biking.
"Let's not sell the goose that laid the golden egg," he said.
Springfield resident Robyn Cowley said the "beautiful vista" of her backyard was "under threat".
She had "tossed and turned" about the proposal and had "never-ending anxiety" due to it.
She said she'd considered leaving Rotorua and believed the proposal had "already devalued our family home".
Her adult children loved coming home, she said, but they shared her "pain and concern about our tūrangawaewae".
"This magnificent green space is so much more than a golf course, it is a drawcard for Rotorua.
"I respectfully ask you to listen to what the people are telling you."
Councillor Reynold Macpherson then also spoke, telling the meeting as Rotorua Residents and Ratepayers chairman, his members were "antagonistic" to the proposal and had asked him "to campaign remorselessly" so the proposal was dropped.
"They want the lease in 2027 to be renewed about three years in advance so this club can plan its future."
Response
Thanks for checking with us but Council has nothing further to add to the facts that were presented at last night's meeting.
You may already have this but if not, I've attached a copy of the presentation slides from last night in case that's useful for you.
[see presentation provided to reporter HERE]
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Media: NZME (Rotorua Daily Post and BOP Times)
Topic: Parking and assaults on/threats against parking wardens
Enquiry
I'm just getting in touch about the OIA response below. (See LGOIMA response on Council's website HERE.)
Might it be possible to speak with both of the parking wardens who were assaulted, if they are up to it? I am especially interested in the person who had a vehicle used to push them. If neither of them is keen, might you be able to provide details of the incidents and whether anyone was charged by police or anything?
This is just in relation to an article I'm hoping to write about the treatment of parking warden staff. In Tauranga, the rates of abuse have increased in the past few years but no one had been driven at. I think our readers will be shocked at this.
Could I also please either speak to someone on the phone from council about the following questions or have them answered:
1) What do you make of the number of threats and assaults on parking wardens over the past five years?
2) Where does the money collected from parking fines go to (chance to explain to readers what it's used for)?
3) The number of parking fines given out has remained steady over the past five years, what are your thoughts about this? Are people not getting the message?
4) How many parking wardens does the council employ?
5) What support does the council provide to abused or assaulted wardens?
6) Are police contacted - and have they - when wardens are abused or assaulted?
And if there is anything else you'd like to provide commentary on, please feel free.
Response
The following information and comment was provided:
As mentioned previously, the people involved in these incidents are no longer working as parking wardens so interviews would not be appropriate.
Additionally, one of these incidents (the incident involving a vehicle) was incorrectly classified at the time of reporting. This was 'a near miss' and should not have been included as an 'assault' in the LGOIMA response.
The revised response to your LGOIMA request is as follows.
- Number of parking wardens assaulted each year for the past five years (Jan 1, 2015 - Dec 31, 2020): 1
- Type of assault: Shove warden.
A person was arrested following this incident.
This is just in relation to an article I'm hoping to write about the treatment of parking warden staff. In Tauranga, the rates of abuse have increased in the past few years but no one had been driven at. I think our readers will be shocked at this.
Could I also please either speak to someone on the phone from council about the following questions or have them answered:
From Council's Operations Group Manager, Jocelyn Mikaere:
1) What do you make of the number of threats and assaults on parking wardens over the past five years?
It's absolutely unacceptable. Everybody has the right to go about their jobs safely and without threat of abuse or assault.
While Council doesn't currently employ parking wardens directly, we take incidents that impact on the safety and wellbeing of both contractors and staff very seriously and as such, take a zero-tolerance approach to abuse, threats or physical assaults.
Where appropriate, incidents are reported to the police, and existing protocols are reviewed and revised if necessary to further minimise risk to people's safety.
Frontline staff are trained in how to deal with situations that have the potential to escalate and/or where they or other members of the public are, or feel, under threat.
2) Where does the money collected from parking fines go to (chance to explain to readers what it's used for)?
Revenue generated from parking fines goes back into CBD operations which may include, among other things, the parking system and upkeep of car parks throughout the city.
3) The number of parking fines given out has remained steady over the past five years, what are your thoughts about this? Are people not getting the message?
There are a number of reasons why infringements are consistently issued. Some people make the choice not to pay for parking in paid parking areas, a smaller number use the parking system incorrectly, and sometimes people overstay their time limit for a variety of reasons. However the majority of people using the parking system do so successfully and without incident.
4) How many parking wardens does the council employ?
Council doesn't currently employ any parking wardens directly. The current parking wardens are contracted through iPark as part of our contract with them.
5) What support does the council provide to abused or assaulted wardens?
As Council doesn't currently employ parking wardens directly, this sits with iPark. We have ensured they share our zero-tolerance approach to abuse, threats and assaults and have suitable processes in place to support their staff as required.
6) Are police contacted - and have they - when wardens are abused or assaulted?
See response to Q1.