Auckland Council and LGNZ continue campaign to ban sale and private use of fireworks

Wednesday, 6 November 2019

Auckland Council and Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) are continuing to call for a ban on the sale of fireworks for private use by the general public, but without Government support it's doomed to failure.

Representatives from Auckland Council and Local Government New Zealand are heading to Wellington next week where they will make presentations to Parliament's Governance and Administration Committee and state their cases calling for prohibition.

It follows a vote at the annual Local Government New Zealand in July where 64 per cent of councils backed introducing a ban on the private use of fireworks.

Government support is needed before the private use of fireworks can be banned (file photo).

Auckland Council voted in February this year to call on the Government to introduce legislation to stop the sale of fireworks to the general public and end their private use. It received 8000 public submissions as part of a review late last year which showed 89 per cent of submitters supported a fireworks ban and 68 per cent said they were concerned about the threat they posed to the safety of people and animals.

* Wellington councils to consult on fireworks

* Fireworks ban: Council votes to outlaw private sales**

Auckland Council has since voted to support the proposed ban on the private use and sale of fireworks, but its ability to create change is limited. The council can only regulate the use of fireworks in public places and prohibiting the sale and use of them by the general public would require a Government law change.

In 2015 the Government received a petition with 32,000 signatures calling for a ban on the sale of fireworks to the general public. The petition, which had the support of the SPCA, SAFE and NZ Veterinarians Association, said fireworks caused 'unnecessary distress and injury to people, animals, birds and livestock'. But the then National-led Government didn't support the idea of introducing a ban.

A fire on Mt Wellington on Tuesday night was believed to have been caused by fireworks.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said she was aware of people's concerns, but appeared to be ruling out any law changes for now.

'In the aftermath of Guy Fawkes I will be listening out for feedback, particularly from our Mayors to just see how things have gone on the ground,' Ardern said.

'There are a number of people who use them safely and for fun and there are others who have concerns. So I think we need to take all those factors into consideration. There's nothing planned at the moment and nothing on the agenda for change.'

While Auckland Council and many New Zealanders would like to see the prohibition, the fact the Government doesn't at this stage have the appetite for a law change means change could be some way off.

The current Government is getting set for an election in 2020 and upsetting potential voters with a ban doesn't appear to be on the Prime Minister's agenda. Meanwhile Auckland Council and LGNZ look set to have a tough time convincing MPs why they should back their plans.

In Australia most states introduced the bans in the 1980s due to concerns over the safety of people and animals. The only two states where the sale of fireworks to the general public isn't illegal is in the Northern Territory and Tasmania, where they still have restrictions on their sale and use.