By CATHY ARONSON
HAMILTON - Police in Hamilton have delayed adopting the controversial under-25 car-sticker scheme until the Human Rights Commission decides whether it discriminates against young people.
Police had intended to introduce the stickers on Saturday, to combat a car theft rate in the city of nearly 100 a month.
Inspector Malcolm Burgess said he would wait for the Human Rights Commission decision before committing money and resources to the scheme.
Despite the pending decision, five police districts - Tokoroa, Dunedin, Timaru, Taupo and central Otago - have followed Christchurch's pilot scheme.
Rotorua considered the scheme but decided not to introduce it.
More than 50,000 stickers have been issued in Christchurch. The city has seen a 30 per cent fall in car thefts since 1998.
The scheme spread across the country after Police Minister George Hawkins preempted the commission's decision and obtained a Crown Law Office opinion in May that the scheme was legal.
But the commission could still find the scheme discriminatory.
The commission representative Glyn Walters said it was close to concluding its investigation, which started in March.
Opponents of the scheme include YouthLaw, a coalition of young people called the Yellow Triangle Prevention Project and the New Zealand University Students Association.
Christchurch-based Yellow Triangle coordinator Yani Johanson said the Ombudsman was investigating Mr Hawkins' decision not to release the Crown's legal opinion under an Official Information Act request.
Mr Yani said the scheme was discriminatory because it redirected car-theft suspicion towards those under 25. There was no equivalent sticker to protect young drivers.
Hamilton city police wait for ruling on car-stickers
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