MP Nicola Willis says she doesn't feel safe walking through central Wellington
Tuesday, 16 March 2021
Wellington list MP Nicola Willis and several Wellington city councillors say they don’t feel safe in the central city, with police acknowledging the capital is “over-represented” in incidents of assault and disorder.
The sharp rise in violence and anti-social behaviour revolving around Te Aro Park and Courtenay Place has been causing consternation among inner city residents and business owners, and leading police to bring in reinforcements.
Now, in the wake of protests in London and Sydney over the killing of 33-year-old Sarah Everard as she walked home, Willis said did not feel safe walking through the city's streets.
“I put my head down and hoped I wouldn’t be caught in the crossfire,” Willis told Stuff on Tuesday, describing an incident in which she witnessed two patched gang members who were yelling, swearing and gesticulating at each other. “That shouldn’t be the way it is in central Wellington.”
Willis, a National Party MP, said she had spoken to many people in recent weeks who had reported seeing multiple incidents of intimidating behaviour, particularly around Te Aro Park on Manners St.
She blamed an “explosion” in emergency housing and a growing gang presence in the area, and said she would be calling a public meeting on possible solutions.
**READ MORE:
* Changes on way to curb crime at central Wellington park
**
Other Wellingtonians said they shared Willis’s concerns.
City councillor Nicola Young, who represents the Lambton ward which includes central Wellington and Te Aro, said she felt “uncomfortable and wary” when walking past Te Aro Park.
Tamatha Paul, who also represents the Lambton ward, said young women had been saying they didn’t feel safe in the CBD for years.
But Paul, who is 23, accused Willis of “scapegoating” gangs when the real issue was men harassing women. She said she could not remember the last time she or her friends had gone into the central city at night without someone being harassed or groped.
However, not everyone shared Willis’ concerns.
Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson, the MP for Wellington Central, said he had no personal concerns about the safety of central city streets. “I spend a lot of time in Wellington central. It’s a very vibrant place, but we’ve always got to work together ot make it as safe as possible,” Robertson said.
Mayor Andy Foster also said he did not feel unsafe in the area, but it was “not acceptable” for anyone to feel unsafe.
“It is paramount we turn this situation around and deliver on the resources required to live in a safe city,” he said in a statement. “This will take a co-ordinated approach across government agencies, businesses and community networks.”
Wellington Police said they had been aware for some time that areas of the central city, particularly Courtenay Place, were over-represented for disorder and assault.
“Much of this occurs during weekend hours and is fuelled by excess alcohol,” a spokeswoman said. “Police dedicate significant resources to policing the area, particularly over the weekends when there are larger volumes of people in the CBD.”
Recent figures from the Ministry of Social Development show the Wellington region’s emergency housing has almost tripled in the past year, with 622 households living in emergency housing.
In September, a Wellington City Council report revealed anti-social behaviour and crime was occurring every hour of every day at Te Aro Park, while some hospitality workers said crime and disorder in the central city was the worst they had seen in 20 years.