Editorial: Abuse of wardens unfair

Parking wardens are people too.

Parking wardens - they're consistently up there with politicians, used car salesmen and, yes, journalists, when it comes to lists of the most hated professions.

We report today how our five Rotorua parking wardens are regularly subjected to verbal abuse, with 20 "serious" incidents in the past five years.

In Whakatane, the council has issued wardens with GoPro cameras and the Rotorua Lakes Council is in the process of upgrading its wardens' communication devices to include new safety measures.

It's great the council is taking those steps, but the fact it's come to that is somewhat ridiculous.

Sure, you may be angry when you get a parking ticket, but whose fault was it? If you park in the wrong place or stay too long, then you know the consequences. Suck it up, take your ticket and next time make sure you have enough change for the meter.

No one should be abused, threatened or made to feel unsafe for simply doing their job.

We reported last month how 87 per cent of New Zealand MPs had been targets of harassment, ranging from abusive emails to violence.

Two weeks ago, Rotorua Mayor Steve Chadwick was sent a letter containing white powder, presumably in an attempt to scare or intimidate her.

For staff at government agencies, it's also something they deal with on a regular basis - more than 200 security incidents were reported at Rotorua Work and Income in the past three years.

Next time you see that ominous piece of paper being put under your wiper, stop, breathe and remember: they're not giving you a ticket to spite you, they're just doing their job.