3 March 2006

Public hearings on graffiti and street prostitution bills to be heard in Manukau

The Parliamentary select committee which is considering submissions on proposed new laws to curb graffiti and street prostitution in Manukau will sit in Manukau to hear the submissions. The proposed sitting date is April 6, 2006, and the venue will be the Civic Centre building at Manukau City Centre.

There have been 90 submissions on the Manukau City Council (Control of Graffiti) Bill, with 30 submitters wishing to make a verbal submission. The Manukau City Council (Control of Street Prostitution) Bill has attracted 110 submissions, with 40 requests to be heard.

The two bills have been presented to Parliament by Manurewa MP George Hawkins on behalf of Manukau City Council.

Mayor Sir Barry Curtis will present the Council’s submission personally. He says, “I’m pleased that the select committee has agreed to sit here in Manukau rather than in Wellington. I expected a large number of submissions due to the high level of interest in these two issues.

“There is overwhelming support from right across the community for our stand against graffiti vandalism and street prostitution. The level of public feeling is similar to that on the boy racer issue three years ago. People feel enough is enough.”

The two pieces of legislation are local bills and so would only impact on Manukau. But the Manukau City Council is now getting inquiries from other councils around the country about the effects of the legislation. Sir Barry says, “They are seeing the new laws as being useful in clamping down on graffiti and street prostitution in their areas. The eyes of the New Zealand are on us.”

ENDS

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