Letters to Editor: Tackle this ATV nuisance

Tackle this ATV nuisance

On Boxing Day our family came from Wellington to stay at Waimarama Beach. Before the bridge, we were given a flier from police regarding, among other things, the use of ATVs and motorbikes. We were really happy and believed some of the problems caused by these vehicles were finally being seriously addressed. Sadly, we were to be disappointed again.

The constant noise of ATVs going past the beach houses at speed, on the beach and through the village makes having an outdoor meal or simple conversation impossible at times.

Two days ago we saw a young male of around 10-12 years old with a younger child sitting in front of the handlebars on the carrier almost entirely obscuring the drivers vision with another 3 children hanging off the back driving at least 50 km/h through the village on the way to the beach. The flier stated 15km/h, licensed drivers and vehicles only, 1-2 people per ATV, helmets to be worn. None of these children wore helmets, and drivers are required to be 15 years old to obtain a license.

It was great to see an increased police presence at Waimarama this year, but it is obviously not enough.

Last February a boy in his late teens drove a dirt bike a number of times between my young children who were playing at the water's edge and me, at speed, when there was about 5 metres between my children and me. I managed to make him stop and asked him to discontinue, he said he was going to carry on, I told him I would call the police, he laughed and said there was no way the local policeman was going to come down to the beach or enforce any rules. He carried on driving

between us and as he said, his plans were to keep riding up and down until the police arrived, so we left, knowing the police may take up to an hour to arrive, as they did another time when my parents reported nuisance, dangerous drivers.

It is the prevailing culture at Waimarama that noisy, illegal and dangerously driven vehicles will continue to be tolerated by the police and by the council, despite notices being handed out by police outlining expected behaviour. Large billboards further emphasising the safety requirements on council-provided access ways to the beach may help, along with increased police presence, as based on experience over the last few years. Any tolerance extended to the bad behaviour has a snowball effect, with more and more of these vehicles arriving.

What is wrong with walking or cycling in this age of obesity-related disease?

People who do walk through Waimarama feel in danger, I am constantly keeping my children very close to me around the village and on the beach, in case someone else's child runs my child over, and I do not want my family to provide the tragedy that may begin to make changes in this otherwise lovely area.

Andrea Brough, Wellington

 Bill will modernise food safety

I write in response to Bruce Bisset's column (December 26) about the Food bill.

His callous undermining of confidence in our fantastic food sector is a disgrace.

Sadly, he has been successful in allowing his nonsensical and ludicrous conspiracy theories to have caused concern among our hard-working and good Hawke's Bay producers, farmers markets, cafes and restaurants. Interestingly, his "opinion" piece repeats material from a (anonymously funded) protest website.

There is every reason to have confidence in the future of our fantastic food sector, farmers markets and produce from the Bay.

The world wants our fabulous food and produce, we need modern systems to ensure safe processes and growing exports; 30-year-old rules are simply no longer adequate.

Mr Bisset has obviously not read the bill, its commentary or sought any factual information at all.

The facts: the Food bill will not drive small businesses to the wall, it will not shut down bake sales or stop the sharing of home-grown vegetables. The Food bill does not go anywhere near anyone's right to swap spuds for their neighbour's beans and there is nothing, repeat nothing, to stop people raising money from the time-honoured sausage sizzle.

Currently, our food businesses operate under unwieldy, decades-old regulation.

The Food bill before Parliament intends to modernise our domestic food safety regime by making it simpler for food businesses to provide assurances that their products are safe.

The bill heralds a major change in how we regulate the food sector with a move from an inspection-based system to a risk-based approach.

In practice, this will mean that rather than relying on government inspectors to find any problems, responsibility is shifted to the person in charge of a food operation to proactively manage food safety and suitability.

Reflecting the wide range of food preparation activities to be covered, the bill proposes that anyone involved in the commercial trade of food must operate under one of three regulatory systems.

These systems are based on the relative food safety risk involved.

A high-risk business, such as a restaurant or a baby food manufacturer, would need to meet more robust requirements and operate under a regulated "food control plan".

Businesses that present a medium risk, such as bakeries or pre-packaged food manufacturers, would be regulated under the more generic "national programmes".

Those in the lowest risk category - small traders who run roadside stalls or sell their own produce at farmers markets, charity sausage sizzles and bake sales - would receive "food handler guidance".

This is essentially safe food handling information that will be available free-of-charge from MAF or local authorities. Mr Bisset's alarmist statements that armed food safety officers will be able to enter premises without a warrant is a total fantasy.

The bill does not provide for food safety officers to be armed. Improvement notices will be the main enforcement provision to be used, giving food operators the chance to correct minor non-compliances and prevent further action.

In the event that serious offences are committed, the bill provides the opportunity for meaningful fines and penalties to be imposed by the courts.

The bill is intended to modernise our domestic food safety regime, not over-regulate it, and ultimately has the health of all New Zealanders at heart.

Craig Foss, MP for Tukituki