Anti-Government protest group owes council $50k, but organiser says he won't pay

Sunday, 20 March 2022

The leader of an anti-Government group in Christchurch is refusing to pay a $50,000 bill for costs incurred during multiple protests.

Christchurch City Council has sent the Freedom and Rights Coalition group, led in Christchurch by Destiny Church pastor Derek Tait, three invoices totalling $50,533 for protests on the city streets in November, December, January and February.

More invoices are being prepared for protests held in March.

None of the invoices have been paid, despite the first being due on January 20.

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The second bill, due on Sunday (March 20), was also now overdue and the third has to be paid by April 20.

The council is able to recover the debt through the district court, but it has not yet initiated that process.

A council spokeswoman said the council was still hoping to meet with Tait to discuss the invoices before it began the process of recovering the amount owed.

On Sunday, Tait continued to deny knowledge of the invoices.

“I have not seen them,” he said.

When asked if he would meet with the council to discuss the invoices, Tait said he would have to think about that.

He said he had not heard from the council about any possible meeting.

Tait said he was not going to pay the bill, and he was not worried about any potential court action.

When asked if he was concerned about Christchurch ratepayers having to foot the bill for his protests, Tait said: “I am a ratepayer too. The marches are full of ratepayers, thousands of them.”

The costs were associated with traffic management.

During the protests, council staff and contractors had to manage the knock-on effects, including adapting intersections, controlling traffic signals and monitoring security cameras.

Tait said he intended to keep the protests going, probably on a weekly basis or maybe fortnightly, but they might take a break during the colder winter months.

The group moved its protest base to Latimer Square on Saturday, because Cranmer Square is fenced off so the council can repair damage to the grass following a four-week occupation.