Tauranga topless tank proposal a boob

The prospect of a tank rumbling through Tauranga's downtown adorned with topless girls has turned out to be a false alarm.
An application was received by Tauranga City Council on Wednesday to run the "Boobs on Bikes" parade through the downtown area on August 4, with the surprise addition of a Scorpion tank and LAV personnel carrier.
The tank looked like a bridge too far, with Mayor Stuart Crosby saying the council would never allow it because of potential damage to the cobbles.
However, when the Bay of Plenty Times checked with Auckland porn merchant Steve Crow about the military vehicles, he said they had been added by mistake.
Instead of being the latest gimmick to promote his erotica festival, it was the fault of the person on his staff who filled in the council's application form.
They had cut and pasted from  the company's website the order of vehicles used in the Auckland Boobs on Bikes parade.
Mr Crow said the intention was  to  put topless girls on  bikes, plus whatever local convertible cars turned up.
Mr Crosby said the other problem with the application was that it did not include a traffic management plan and there was an expectation that police would escort the parade.

The council has returned the application to Mr Crow asking him to complete the paperwork by next Monday so it could consider it at a meeting scheduled for that day.
Mr Crosby said this was in no way meant to suggest  the council would approve the application. It was meant to make Mr Crow  aware of  the requirements.
"We are being professional on how we go about the process."
With the parade due to take place  from 11.30am to 12.30pm, it would clearly require traffic management, Mr Crosby said.
Meanwhile, a public meeting on the issue will be held in the council's Civic Building debating chamber on Monday, starting at about 6pm. Organiser Cr Murray Guy has invited people to  gather in the chamber at 5.30pm.