Santa checks keep everyone safe

By Sandra Conchie
Phew, it's a tough job being Santa Claus these days - just ask Jock Stewart.
Gone are the days when the jolly bearded fella could "ho ho ho" as much as he liked and kiddies could freely hop on to his lap for a chat. In this era of stranger-danger, even Santa seems to be getting a bad rap.
Certainly, at shopping centres around the Western Bay, security background checks on would-be Santas are carried out and there are plenty of dos and don'ts around his code of conduct with children.
These days Santa is never allowed to be alone with a child, nor is a child allowed to sit on his knee without a parent's permission.
In fact, at most shopping centres in the Western Bay, a long seat is provided for children to sit beside Santa as they reveal their Christmas wish list or have their photograph taken.
For 64-year-old Otumoetai man Mr Stewart, who has been Santa at Palmers in Tauranga for the past five years, the added safety protections are as much for him and his employer as for the children.
"Employment background checks on Santa are a wise move as nobody wants to see someone a bit kinky working with youngsters," he said.
"I do think these strict rules are political correctness gone a bit crazy but I have had to change with the times."
In fact, Mr Stewart said during the 30 years he had been a Santa he had set himself ground rules to live by.
"Even when my wife Mrs Claus is with me, there always has to be another adult present. And definitely children have never been allowed to sit on my lap unless parents told me it was okay."
He said most of these rules were just common sense, "although it would be very sad if children started to see Santa as some kind of unsafe person to be around".
Palmers Tauranga manager Peter Wayman said he had no concerns about employing Mr Stewart, who was subject to the normal security checks.
"It is a bit sad that it has got to the stage of having to ... limit children's contact with Santa but when you have got little children involved I have to do whatever is needed to safeguard them."
In Australia, a multitude of politically correct clauses has caused a shortage of Santas in shopping malls.
In some centres, Santa can no longer hand out lollies, pat children on the head for fear of insulting religious beliefs, put children on his lap unless he gets a parent's permission and cannot have photographs taken with youngsters unless his hands are in full view.
Disillusioned by a growing number of rules to guard against litigation, Aussie men are reluctantly calling it quits.
Some Santas are even told they can no longer go around saying "ho, ho, ho" because they may frighten children and some centres require a police clearance for the jolly fellow.
Greerton Village manager Petra Sauter said she had always asked for police background checks on Santas.
"There is huge pressure these days to ensure people who work in such public roles are squeaky clean. Although it would be sad if these extreme measures to protect children ended up taking the fun and natural spontaneity out of what should be a hugely exciting positive experience for them."
Fraser Cove manager Marie Mischewski said her Santa was employed through an Auckland recruitment agency, which undertook background checks and trained Santa on what was an acceptable code of conduct.
"Background checks on Santa is just part and parcel of the checks we do on any employee at Fraser Cove. The other measures may seem a bit extreme to some people and I certainly wouldn't like to see any parent or caregiver move to plant an unhealthy fear of Santa in a child's mind."
Palm Beach Plaza Shopping Centre manager Carolyn May said although her Santa is a father of a staff member, a background check on him was still undertaken and non-contact rules were outlined to him.
"Even the lady taking the children's photographs with Santa had to have a background check. I think it is sad that the spirit of Santa in essence has been tainted in this way, but these added precautions are there to ensure both parties are kept safe."