Upper Hutt council bans smoking in parks

From today, World Smokefree Day, the Upper Hutt City Council is banning lighting up in its parks, reserves, playgrounds and sports fields. It is New Zealand's first city council to ban smoking in parks.

Officials at the Auckland, Manukau and North Shore city councils said last night they had no plans to follow suit.

Last year, South Taranaki became the first district council to ban smoking in its parks, playgrounds and swimming pools.