In today's headlines with Wilhelmina Shrimpton, Kiwi on board sunk luxury yacht, thousands of St John staff walk off the job, and boost to Auckland safety.
A Whanganui freedom camping site has been temporarily shut down.
Whanganui District Council chief executive David Langford said the council was struggling with the actions of some people living at its Taupō Quay site.
Langford said the small group at Taupō Quay was refusing to work with the council.
“They don’t want to register with MSD [Ministry of Social Development] and they don’t want to work with the Whanganui People’s Centre to find houses.
“We’ve got to the point where we’ve offered all the help we can.
“It’s been refused so we have to go and deal with the bad behaviour so we can look after the rest of the community that might be walking by or owning property nearby.”
“We have continued to fund the people’s centre so they can carry on doing what they do - going around our freedom camping sites to support people to register with MSD and get on the housing waitlist,” he said.
“We are starting to see a continual turnover of people getting into accommodation, whether it’s through MSD or private accommodation the people centre are sourcing.
“They are doing really good work. We are pleased with the impact they are having.”
Semple said she had offered transportation for those at Taupō Quay to visit the centre itself – “a relaxed, warm environment”.
Whanganui People's Centre manager Sharon Semple says she agrees with the decision to shut the site. Photo / NZME
“We don’t have a magic wand but we can work with people to navigate and engage them in speciality services – to make sure they are on a benefit, to make sure they are on medication, to make sure their social issues are addressed,” she said.
“But, they have to want that as well.”
A police spokesperson said they were assisting council with the shut down as required.
“Police are not currently aware of anyone of interest to us living there, however, we know it is a transient location.”
Mike Tweed is a multimedia journalist at the Whanganui Chronicle. Since starting in March 2020, he has dabbled in everything from sport to music. At present his focus is local government, primarily the Whanganui District Council.
