Public Safety must be paramount says Pita Sharples

The Hon Dr Pita Sharples
Maori Party Co-Leader | MP for Tamaki Makaurau
Tuesday 13 September 2011

MP for Tamaki Makaurau, Dr Pita Sharples, has expressed profound regret that six crews of kaihoe supporting the Rugby World Cup Opening Ceremony, experienced physical assault and verbal abuse during the chaos that took place on the wharf-front.

“I attended an urgent hui on Saturday when members of these groups talked about the way in which they were abused as they made their way through the crowds that had accumulated on the wharf-side.

“These groups had travelled down from the North for the purpose of supporting the occasion by joining the fleet of waka that signalled the opening of the Rugby World Cup”.

“The spectacular sight of all the waka coming into the Auckland has been acknowledged around the world as one of the highlights of the day, and I am only sorry that the paddlers on those waka did not receive the respect they deserved”.

“Several of their women were taken to hospital, others still appeared battered and bruised and visibly distressed when they spoke to me about the way in which they were treated. Some cried as they recounted the terrifying impact of the over-crowding; others were plain angry that the situation had got so out of hand”.

“I am ashamed to learn that here were women being hit in a public space; they called out to the police; bystanders stood by and watched and yet no-one came to help”.

“It was evident in all the reports that the misuse of alcohol was behind much of the fiasco, but we should have been much better prepared as a city; as a nation; to ensure public safety and security were paramount”.

“I will be writing to Minister McCully and to Len Brown, Auckland Mayor; to urge that every effort be made to place priority on the safety and wellbeing of the general public; to avoid such distressing scenes from reoccurring”.

"We need to be satisfied from Government and the Council alike that such dangerous over-crowding will be addressed and that appropriate controls to manage crowd behaviour will be instigated before the next large event takes place”.