Latest news with #NewZealandBillofRights
Otago Daily Times
13-05-2025
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Ex-councillor refusing to pay gorse bill share
A former Invercargill city councillor says she has not cleared her bill with the council after they removed gorse from her land more than two years ago. Karen Arnold has been embroiled in a battle with the Invercargill City Council since 2022, when her section at Theodore St, Bluff, began failing inspections due to overgrowth. A report prepared for a March hearing showed it had drawn three "request for service" complaints and failed eight of 10 inspections. But Ms Arnold disputes the issue, saying compliance notices from the council were unlawful and breached the New Zealand Bill of Rights. Ms Arnold said she would not pay her share of a $5320 bill for council contractors clearing the section following an October 2022 bylaw notice, despite receiving monthly reminders. "They keep sending it out. I've ignored it." Council group manager consenting and environment Jonathan Shaw said a decision was made to split the cost 50:50 with Ms Arnold when she met the council in January last year. The section was also the subject of a council hearing in March where Ms Arnold unsuccessfully appealed a bylaw notice from December last year. Although the panel accepted it was unhelpful gorse existed on co-owned council land at the boundary of the property, removal still rested with the owner. "They say that it's got to be cleared again, and I'm not going to do it and so it's going to be the same thing," Ms Arnold said. "They'll go and clear it and then they'll charge me." The section backs on to Bluff Hill/Motupōhue, which is co-owned by the council and Department of Conservation. Ms Arnold claims the council conceded it had failed on a range of issues at a January 2024 meeting where the council's chief executive and lawyer were present. That included that two compliance notices in 2022 and one from 2023 were unlawful and breached the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act, that the council did not manage its gorse under the regional pest management plan until prompted and that it had a conflict of interest in dealing with her concerns. In response to questions, Mr Shaw said the council did not accept gorse was not being managed on its land at Bluff Hill prior to Ms Arnold's complaint. The cancellation of a December 2023 notice for procedural reasons did not mean the compliance problems raised in the original notice were invalid, Mr Shaw said. Two councillors on the hearing panel declared conflicts of interest but felt it did not warrant them stepping aside, he added. "The council staff involved in the decision considered the issues raised by Ms Arnold on each occasion in a fair and balanced manner. "This included preparing for and attending the hearing, which Arnold chose to leave partway through." Ms Arnold was elected to the council in 2013 and 2016, but stood down near the end of her second term. She was declared bankrupt in 2018 after losing a defamation suit against Stuff and then-mayor Sir Tim Shadbolt, RNZ reported. • LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
Scoop
13-05-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Bluff Gorse Stoush: Ex-Councillor Hasn't Paid Council Bill
Article – Matthew Rosenberg – Local Democracy Reporter Karen Arnold has been embroiled in a battle with the organisation since 2022 when her section at Theodore St, Bluff, began failing inspections due to overgrowth. A former Invercargill councillor says she has not cleared her bill with the council after they removed gorse from her land more than two years ago. Karen Arnold has been embroiled in a battle with the organisation since 2022 when her section at Theodore St, Bluff, began failing inspections due to overgrowth. A report prepared for a March hearing showed it had drawn three 'request for service' complaints and failed eight of 10 inspections. But Arnold disputes the issue, saying compliance notices from council were unlawful and breached the New Zealand Bill of Rights. Arnold said she won't pay her share of a $5320 bill for council contractors clearing the section following an October 2022 bylaw notice, despite receiving monthly reminders. 'They keep sending it out, I've ignored it.' Invercargill City Council group manager consenting and environment Jonathan Shaw said a decision was made to split the cost 50/50 with Arnold when she met with council in January 2024. The section was also the subject of a council hearing in March where Arnold unsuccessfully appealed a bylaw notice from December 2024. Although the panel accepted it was unhelpful that gorse existed on co-owned council land at the boundary of the property, removal still rested with the owner. 'They say that it's got to be cleared again, and I'm not going to do it and so it's going to be the same thing,' Arnold said. 'They'll go and clear it and then they'll charge me.' The section backs onto Bluff Hill/Motupōhue, which is co-owned by the council and Department of Conservation. Arnold claims the council conceded it had failed on a range of issues at a January 2024 meeting where the council's chief executive and lawyer were present. That included that two compliance notices in 2022 and one from 2023 were unlawful and breached the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act, that the council did not manage its gorse under the regional pest management plan until prompted, and that they had a conflict of interest in dealing with her concerns. In response to questions, Shaw said the council did not accept that gorse wasn't being managed on its land at Bluff Hill prior to Arnold's complaint. The cancellation of a December 2023 notice for procedural reasons did not mean the compliance problems raised in the original notice were invalid, Shaw said. Two councillors on the hearing panel declared conflicts of interest but felt it did not warrant them stepping aside, he added. 'The council staff involved in the decision considered the issues raised by Ms Arnold on each occasion in a fair and balanced manner. 'This included preparing for and attending the hearing, which Arnold chose to leave partway through.' Arnold was elected to council in 2013 and 2016, but stood down near the end of her second term. She was declared bankrupt in 2018 after losing a defamation suit against Stuff and then-mayor Sir Tim Shadbolt, RNZ reported.
Scoop
13-05-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Bluff Gorse Stoush: Ex-Councillor Hasn't Paid Council Bill
A former Invercargill councillor says she has not cleared her bill with the council after they removed gorse from her land more than two years ago. Karen Arnold has been embroiled in a battle with the organisation since 2022 when her section at Theodore St, Bluff, began failing inspections due to overgrowth. A report prepared for a March hearing showed it had drawn three 'request for service' complaints and failed eight of 10 inspections. But Arnold disputes the issue, saying compliance notices from council were unlawful and breached the New Zealand Bill of Rights. Arnold said she won't pay her share of a $5320 bill for council contractors clearing the section following an October 2022 bylaw notice, despite receiving monthly reminders. 'They keep sending it out, I've ignored it.' Invercargill City Council group manager consenting and environment Jonathan Shaw said a decision was made to split the cost 50/50 with Arnold when she met with council in January 2024. The section was also the subject of a council hearing in March where Arnold unsuccessfully appealed a bylaw notice from December 2024. Although the panel accepted it was unhelpful that gorse existed on co-owned council land at the boundary of the property, removal still rested with the owner. 'They say that it's got to be cleared again, and I'm not going to do it and so it's going to be the same thing,' Arnold said. 'They'll go and clear it and then they'll charge me.' The section backs onto Bluff Hill/Motupōhue, which is co-owned by the council and Department of Conservation. Arnold claims the council conceded it had failed on a range of issues at a January 2024 meeting where the council's chief executive and lawyer were present. That included that two compliance notices in 2022 and one from 2023 were unlawful and breached the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act, that the council did not manage its gorse under the regional pest management plan until prompted, and that they had a conflict of interest in dealing with her concerns. In response to questions, Shaw said the council did not accept that gorse wasn't being managed on its land at Bluff Hill prior to Arnold's complaint. The cancellation of a December 2023 notice for procedural reasons did not mean the compliance problems raised in the original notice were invalid, Shaw said. Two councillors on the hearing panel declared conflicts of interest but felt it did not warrant them stepping aside, he added. "The council staff involved in the decision considered the issues raised by Ms Arnold on each occasion in a fair and balanced manner. "This included preparing for and attending the hearing, which Arnold chose to leave partway through." Arnold was elected to council in 2013 and 2016, but stood down near the end of her second term. She was declared bankrupt in 2018 after losing a defamation suit against Stuff and then-mayor Sir Tim Shadbolt, RNZ reported.
Otago Daily Times
13-05-2025
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
'I've ignored it': Ex-councillor still hasn't paid gorse bill
A former Invercargill councillor says she has not cleared her bill with the council after they removed gorse from her land more than two years ago. Karen Arnold has been embroiled in a battle with the organisation since 2022 when her section at Theodore St, Bluff, began failing inspections due to overgrowth. A report prepared for a March hearing showed it had drawn three "request for service" complaints and failed eight of 10 inspections. But Arnold disputes the issue, saying compliance notices from council were unlawful and breached the New Zealand Bill of Rights. Arnold said she won't pay her share of a $5320 bill for council contractors clearing the section following an October 2022 bylaw notice, despite receiving monthly reminders. "They keep sending it out, I've ignored it." Invercargill City Council group manager consenting and environment Jonathan Shaw said a decision was made to split the cost 50/50 with Arnold when she met with council in January 2024. The section was also the subject of a council hearing in March where Arnold unsuccessfully appealed a bylaw notice from December 2024. Although the panel accepted it was unhelpful that gorse existed on co-owned council land at the boundary of the property, removal still rested with the owner. "They say that it's got to be cleared again, and I'm not going to do it and so it's going to be the same thing," Arnold said. "They'll go and clear it and then they'll charge me." The section backs onto Bluff Hill/Motupōhue, which is co-owned by the council and Department of Conservation. Arnold claims the council conceded it had failed on a range of issues at a January 2024 meeting where the council's chief executive and lawyer were present. That included that two compliance notices in 2022 and one from 2023 were unlawful and breached the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act, that the council did not manage its gorse under the regional pest management plan until prompted, and that they had a conflict of interest in dealing with her concerns. In response to questions, Shaw said the council did not accept that gorse wasn't being managed on its land at Bluff Hill prior to Arnold's complaint. The cancellation of a December 2023 notice for procedural reasons did not mean the compliance problems raised in the original notice were invalid, Shaw said. Two councillors on the hearing panel declared conflicts of interest but felt it did not warrant them stepping aside, he added. "The council staff involved in the decision considered the issues raised by Ms Arnold on each occasion in a fair and balanced manner. "This included preparing for and attending the hearing, which Arnold chose to leave partway through." Arnold was elected to council in 2013 and 2016, but stood down near the end of her second term. She was declared bankrupt in 2018 after losing a defamation suit against Stuff and then-mayor Sir Tim Shadbolt, RNZ reported. - LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air
Scoop
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
We Can't Just Turn Off The Internet For Those Under 16
Press Release – NZ Council for Civil Liberties The New Zealand Council for Civil Liberties opposes this bill as unreasonable in principle and unworkable in practice and believes it should not be progressed if selected for introduction. The NZ Council for Civil Liberties opposes the Social Media Age-Restricted Users Bill presented by National MP Catherine Wedd with support from Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, which would ban those under 16 from accessing social media. The bill's definition of social media is incredibly broad and includes any platform where the primary purpose is to 'enable social interactions between 2 or more end-users'. This would include the obvious contenders such as Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter/X, YouTube, and Instagram, but also describes a large range of other sites such as Reddit, Discord, hobbyist forums, support groups, and arguably even email. 'The New Zealand Bill of Rights guarantees us the right to freedom of expression, the ability to seek, send and receive information, and this applies to people under the age of 16 too. They have the right to communicate with each other, their friends, and their family, and the modern reality is that they use social media to do so.' says Thomas Beagle. 'But they're doing more than that: we've seen youth-led political movements such as JustSpeak, School Strike 4 Climate and the Make It 16 campaigns all use social media to organise political campaigns. This bill is a gross imposition on their rights and a terrible discouragement to just the sort of politically active people our country needs.' The bill puts the responsibility on the platforms to determine the age of their users, and we are concerned that this might lead to New Zealanders being forced to provide identity documents and other evidence to both local and foreign platform providers, who already know far too much about us and are happy to sell that information to others. However, the bill is very light on detail with the tricky specifics to be developed in regulation (making the whole regulatory process susceptible to lobbying and corruption). The New Zealand Council for Civil Liberties opposes this bill as unreasonable in principle and unworkable in practice and believes it should not be progressed if selected for introduction.
