Tauranga city councillors' determination to prevent another Boobs on Bikes parade through the city is enshrined in clauses in the new draft Street Uses and Public Places Bylaw 2012 approved on Monday.
The proposed clauses 19.1 – 19.5 of the draft bylaw now requires paraders to obtain written permission from the council if the parade or assembly is going to impede traffic, cause a public nuisance, endanger public health or safety, or be offensive.
Last year's Boobs on Bikes parade caused protests in the CBD.
The council was unable to stop topless women riding through Tauranga streets last year because under the New Zealand Bill of Rights and in line with a previous High Court decision, a woman baring her breasts in public is not legally offensive.
Clause 19.5 of the draft bylaw is specifically drafted to require relevant Bill of Rights considerations to be to be taken into account when considering applications.
The council refused permission for the parade last year – two days before it went ahead, but with no effect. Sunlive estimated about 3000 people watched the parade, and about 40 people tried to stop it by carrying banners across a pedestrian crossing in front of the bikes, and also by attempting to string a chain across the road in front of the parade. There were no arrests.
Boobs on Bikes organiser Steve Crow says there's no parade planned for Tauranga this year because they are focusing on Australia.
'The bottom line is it makes no difference to me whatsoever, they can draft what they like,” says Steve.
'There is still a Bill of Rights in New Zealand, and as far as I'm concerned it supersedes any petty little plans of councils to feather their own nests with whatever they want to do.”
The Erotica show which Boobs On Bikes publicised is on hold this year, says Steve
An event is not even planned for Auckland at present, though that might change.
'It was quite a logistical nightmare to be honest. It was just a headache to get everyone down there and all the way around. It meant bringing all the stars in a day earlier which was very expensive.
'I might do it just to thumb my nose at them.”
6 comments
YEAH RIGHT
Posted on 13-06-2012 15:39 | By PLONKER
So what that is really all about is not wanting to many 'other' councillors and all the TCC staff lined up at the window toe to toe, nose to glass ... for hours ever day awaiting the return of!
Protect Young & Old
Posted on 13-06-2012 19:03 | By Sandyshirl
Well DoneCouncil. We should beable to take our grandparents & kids out without having to dodge nudists. They want to go nude, do it in a private place - NOT IN PUBLIC. The majority of people don't want & need to see this. Grow up Nudists.
@Sandyshirl
Posted on 13-06-2012 21:48 | By morepork
The highest Court in the land has judged a woman's breasts NOT to be offensive. These people are NOT "nudists". (In fact your comment would be offensive to nudists (naturists), who for the most part keep themselves out of the public eye and behave like decent citizens.) You obviously have NO IDEA what the "majority of people" want & need to see. If you personally are offended by it, don't go. If you are raising your children to be offended by the human body you definitely shouldn't go. (In fact you probably shouldn't go ANYWHERE because sin and depravity are all around you.) I didn't attend this event because I had better things to do (I would have attended if I didn't...) and I have just about seen all the naked female bodies I need to in this lifetime, but, I defend to the utmost the right of people to hold and attend such a function, where it does no harm to anybody and is unquestionably legal. We are living in the 21st century; Victorian values are largely irrelevant, whether you like it or not. None of the participants are being pressed or coerced to be in this; they do it because they LIKE doing it and they make money doing it. 3000 people enjoyed it, 40 protested. Do the math...
Nakedness in cities
Posted on 14-06-2012 00:06 | By Watchdog
First in was beaches, then it was cities, next it will be board meetings. Well done TCC Councillors, we support you in this new move to presrve family decencies when downtown shopping. I recall my daughter saying to me when she saw topless women at Whangamata "Those people are rude". She was only about 7 years old and was offended. We do need laws against businesses such as Mr Crow has - it is dumbing down society. The law needs to be there in case there is another confrontation by this very determined businessman. We don't need you Mr Crow.
Sandyshirl
Posted on 14-06-2012 06:00 | By Hector
I have to tell you, your Grand parents and children are a lot safer seeing a few "fallen madonnas with big boobies", than putting up with the drunken idiots and thier attitudes on the Strand, most evenings, then again, you would not care, as out of sight out of mind.Its time Council got a breast of the situation, and hopefully next time someone wants to march against the right of leaves to fall off trees during Summer, they get treated the same way,the easiest way to keep your children away from such events, is do not go!!!!, and this event was great entertainment, all be it a propoganda exercise for Steve Crow, and to you Morepork I totally agree, we are living in a suppossed democratic society, and it always amazes be when you have the majority enjoying a nipple or 2, and the minority not, and the lesser wins, go figure.
Not about nudity
Posted on 14-06-2012 07:53 | By Murray.Guy
It is only a few bloggers and the press that puts the focus on nudity which serves only to detract from the truth. The roadway is a public space set aside and designed for a specific purpose - to facilitate the efficient and safe movement of people and goods. If you want to use that space for purpose other than that intended and their is the potential for risk and inconvenience to the public - talk to the Council. You may have to get a permit to demonstrate you have appropriate traffic management plans in place, just as most other events do. If you are devoid of responsibility and reasonable codes of behaviour, you will disregard the rights of others, the laws and bylaws that may apply. All quite simple and perfectly reasonable.
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