Councils target junk scavengers

Two of Auckland's city councils want to control who gets to scavenge among inorganic rubbish piles on the roadside.

In a joint review of their waste bylaws, Waitakere and North Shore propose to make scavengers buy a $300 annual licence and risk a fine of up to $20,000 if they make a mess of the piles.

The move has been branded oppressive and too restrictive on people's freedom.

Scrap metal dealers say it will hit dozens of their small-time suppliers who pick away at the kerbside piles in search of copper, now fetching $3 a kilogram, and steel at $200 a tonne.

Removing items from council collections is already illegal in Waitakere and punishable by a fine of up to $500.

A 1999 Waitakere bylaw required a licence for people taking anything off the road reserve, deeming it to be theft. But the council turned a blind eye to the activities of scores of treasure-hunters.

"Unfortunately in certain areas, like New Lynn, Glen Eden and Henderson, people have just biffed the stuff everywhere and we are getting hundreds of complaints from residents about the mess and broken glass," said Waitakere's regulatory chairwoman, Vanessa Neeson.

"We've just had enough of cleaning up at the ratepayers' cost."

Mrs Neeson said it was a scandal how streams and bush reserves were used as dumping grounds by scavengers after they found faults in their booty. The $20,000 fine was suggested as a shock deterrent and as a way to recover the full costs of cleaning up.

But it was a maximum fine, she said, and only the courts could set a fine for any offence.

"We are only aiming to stop the ratbags. We are not looking at grandpa who sees a bike that he can fix up for his grandchildren and takes it home."

People would be approved for licences for both council areas after showing they would be responsible and tidy.

Veteran council watchdog Malcolm Hahn, of Whenuapai, said there was little public knowledge of the proposal, which he said was oppressive and taking away people's freedoms.

Waitakere council received two public submissions opposing the scavenging measures and Mrs Neeson said late submissions were welcome. Public hearings would be held between May 19 and 24.

The council has four court prosecutions coming up this year where it alleges scavengers created a hazard. Forty official warnings were also issued this year as a result of residents' complaints.

A West Auckland scrap dealer, who would not be named, said: "It's a shame that a couple of bad apples have ruined it for everyone.

"They will smash a television set to get at a piece of copper in the back of it. But most just pick away and if they come across some old spouting they have hit the jackpot."

Manukau City Council is reviewing its annual inorganic collection and whether to crack down on scavengers.

Auckland City has no bylaw restricting scavenging and no immediate plans for one.

But a spokesman said residents were concerned about strangers in their streets at night and so the council kept a strict pick-up schedule.