Bylaws planned for tattoos, piercings

By ALAN PERROTT

Age restrictions will be placed on people getting tattoos and body piercings throughout Auckland by year's end in order to combat hepatitis.

Manukau City Council votes tonight on a bylaw restricting tattoos and piercings to those aged 18 and over unless written parental approval is provided.

The bylaw also requires all tattoo and piercing businesses to be registered with the council and to permit annual inspections.

Auckland City introduced a similar bylaw in 1998, although pharmacy-based ear piercings are exempt, and North Shore City passed a bylaw in 2000 requiring written approval for under-16s.

Waitakere City is preparing a bylaw based on the Auckland model which could be put to the council in June and Papakura District Council has approached Manukau City for information on its proposal.

The bylaws have received mixed reviews from young Aucklanders.

"Why should anyone be able to say what I can do with my own body?" said 18-year-old Richard Johnson, from Mt Eden.

Cecillia Cameron, 21, from the North Shore, said age restrictions were a good idea.

"Why would you want one if you're under 18?

"It is up to the individual, but they aren't allowed at schools and they probably wouldn't help you get a job."

Damian Honeyman, a Glenfield 19-year-old, had a nipple pierced last year and has no regrets.

"As long as you go somewhere safe and clean it should be okay.

"Just because you're under 18, it doesn't mean you're stupid."

But Auckland medical officer of health Lester Calder said the bylaws were needed to help to reduce the city's rate of infection from diseases such as hepatitis B and C and HIV.

"These bylaws are long overdue," Dr Calder said. "You don't have to be a mastermind to figure out any practice involving breaking the skin and drawing blood can spread infectious disease."

The incidence of acute hepatitis B nationally is 1.9 in 100,000 and 2.1 in 100,000 for hepatitis C.

The Auckland District Health Board is conducting a hepatitis screening programme for Maori, Asians and Pacific Islanders, who have infection rates of about 6 per cent, the highest in the country.

Dr Calder said it was odd that hairdressers had to be registered by law but there was no law regulating tattooists or body piercers.

The Tattoo Artists Association said it had been lobbying for years to have regulations introduced nationwide.

"If you care about your children you've got to have safeguards," said northern regional representative Phill Mathias.

"We have to educate people and the only way they will listen is if there is some kind of enforcement."