KEY POINTS:
The Keep New Zealand Beautiful organisation is urging local and regional councils to enter the annual "Best Loo" competition, which aims to find the country's cleanest public toilet.
Chief Executive Barry Lucinsky hopes councils will scrub their bowls to sparkling clean perfection to impress international tourists.
Tourism New Zealand is sponsoring the competition, because the most common complaints it receives from travellers are about the state of public toilets.
Mr Lucinsky says the state of a town's public loo speaks loudly about the town itself and its level of public spirit.
He says some town toilets are pristine and arty, while at the other extreme, public loos can be dirty, graffiti-covered and in a barren back street.
People are asked to submit 300 words outlining why a facility should win the award, plus a few photos and details about the building.
Mr Lucinsky is expecting about 30 entries before the closing date of September 1.
Previous winners include Raglan, Rotorua, New Plymouth and the famous Hundertwasser loos in Kawakawa.
- NEWSTALK ZB
