Tue 1 Oct 2013 In: New Zealand Daily News View at Wayback View at NDHA
A small group meets to hear the K Rd Safety proposals A comprehensive range of initiatives to increase safety in Karangahape Road was unveiled last night but the centrepiece proposal, for community patrols, has been downsized after it did not gain police support. K' Rd Community Safety, a group formed following a well-attended community meeting earlier this year, aims to make the physical centre of Auckland's glbti communities a safer place to party and work following a series of assaults against glbti people in the area in recent years. A much-hoped for proposal, to see identifiable formal community patrols working the K' Road area at nights, affiliated with the national Community Patrols of New Zealand organisation, has foundered after police refused to sanction the K Road Patrol. Police and local body approval are required before such affiliation, which would provide training, policy and other back-up, is possible. "The police are worried that with the high level of alcohol consumption in the area we, as a visible and semi-official presence, would ourselves become a target of abuse and could be attacked," says K' Rd Community Safety spokesperson Karen Ritchie. Ritchie says she finds it ironic that police have claimed to the group that safety in inner-city Auckland is improving but that they also fear that a group helping keep gay people safe could itself so readily be attacked. She also says that Maori Wardens no longer patrol the Karangahape Road area due to the risk of personal danger. Ritchie last night recounted her own experience of walking along K' Road one night last week with a transgender woman visiting from Wellington who was subject to a constant barrage of insults and abuse "from mostly young Maori and Polynesian guys, many of whom seemed to be quite drunk." Instead of the formal patrols, K' Rd Safety is now proposing a lower-key presence based on the 'ambassador' role used at the time of the Rugby World Cup. This would see volunteers in branded t-shirts walking Karangahape Road and its surrounding streets at times of the night when problems can occur, reporting any problems to police, providing information to visitors to the area and assistance to anyone who needs it, such as helping drunk people find taxis or medical help. Other proposals included encouraging people in the area to be aware of dangerous situations, for better lighting and improved video surveillance, making submissions on liquor trading hours, highlighting access to support agencies and encouraging cooperation between groups such as businesses, the police, Auckland Council and other affected parties. Last night's second community meeting was only sparsely attended compared to the first, with barely a handful of people from the glbti communities, or Karangahape Road businesses, organisations or residents turning up. The only representatives from gay licensed venues were from Legend and only one gay group organisation, Outline, was represented. MP Jacinda Ardern, who has been a strong supporter of the safety initiative, managed to be present for the first hour of the meeting between other commitments.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Tuesday, 1st October 2013 - 12:09pm