Council taking bid to bar criminals from city centre to Parliament

Rotorua is pursuing a plan to prohibit repeat criminals from its central business district despite the ban being illegal.

The Rotorua District Council voted yesterday to draft a bill to Parliament after learning police could not legally issue trespass notices to burglars and thieves.

Police proposed the ban as a way of reducing crime in the tourist city, gaining the council's support. But civil libertarians said it breached human rights.

Advice delivered to councillors yesterday concluded the plan was illegal.

The council now plan to draft a local bill with the support of Rotorua MP Steve Chadwick, who earlier said the ban was too legally complex to implement.

Her change of heart came after a meeting last week with Police Minister Annette King, who advised Ms Chadwick, Rotorua Mayor Kevin Winters and area police commander Inspector Bruce Horne that the best way forward was a local bill.

A local bill is distinct from a local member's bill in that it is not drawn from ballot.

Ms Chadwick said she had always supported crime-fighting measures in Rotorua and a local bill was the quickest way to make the ban a reality.

"This is a novel and innovative approach," she said. "It may be a template to put in Government legislation."

Drafting the bill is expected to take a year and Mr Horne said the Bill of Rights and other human-rights legislation would not be impediments.

"We're pretty confident at this stage that those won't be a show-stopper."

The bill would introduce trespass notices called "community safety orders" for police to issue to dishonesty offenders with five or more convictions caught in the CBD.

"These orders would be the legal instrument that would enable us to put into effect the original proposal."

Council support for the proposal has been strong - yesterday's vote was unanimous, although two councillors were absent.