System Loophole - Northern Advocate - 14thNovember 2011

Buck passing

I write in regards to Advocate article on 28th October, ‘Parking fine refunds for mailed tickets’. I sent a simple Official Information Act request to Whangarei District Council, in regards to Cr John Williamson, who had his wife’s parking ticket squashed. Councils reply, in what appeared to be a cover up attempt, on how they cancelled this councillors parking ticket, has in turn has exposed a loophole in their system. This OIA request “was referred to Mr Dell, Group Manager, District Living for response”. Hello, Mr Paul Dell was the one that had ultimately cancelled the ticket. In his attempt to fob me off and his possible attempt to cover his own backside, he supplied a much earlier memo, dated 9th December 2010.  I was not fooled by it, as it made no real sense. So thanks Mr Dell; it's a shame the fault bypassed you and through the media has turned on Mr Grant Couchman and also Mr Alan Adcock who had signed the OIA reply letter to me. A lesson learnt; have someone check what is being sent if one is trying to protect ones but. Where else would you see someone investigating their own enquiry? One thing it has done for me is prove what extremes some people may go to.

Remember this parking infringement was issued in good faith by a parking warden tasked to do a job, enforcing the law. Why has their integrity been put at stake?

(OIA Request is all available on my website - www.warrenslater.co.nz/Links page)

Warren Slater

Maunu

(items abridged in italics for Northern Advocate copy)