Council acts on Aotea Square

Auckland Council has presented a formal request to those camping in Aotea Square asking them to leave and to identify a specific date for their departure.

If the request for a specific date of departure is ignored, council will issue a trespass notice on the campers.

The council is following strict legal guidelines with regard to the campers.

“We have been in constant discussions with the campers and they have accepted all of council's requests, such as security, food hygiene and noise, except they continue to ignore our request to leave,” says Auckland Council’s General Counsel Wendy Brandon.

The council is in regular contact with the Police with regard to the campers. The Police have this morning confirmed they will be taking a nationally consistent approach.

“Because of Bill of Rights implications, the Police are not enforcing trespass orders, as has been the case in Dunedin.”

Auckland Council will exhaust all reasonable steps prior to seeking any enforcement action.

“It is the view of Auckland Council that it is time the space occupied by the campers in Aotea Square is returned to the people of Auckland.”