Whanganui council to ask public's view on fireworks

Whanganui resident Ross Fallen would like the use of fireworks limited to council-permitted events. Photo / Stuart Munro

Fireworks can be annoying, but they are not worth adding another question to voting papers at the Whanganui District Council election this year, councillors decided.

Whanganui resident Ross Fallen has asked the council to add a non-binding question to the election, asking whether fireworks should be banned for sale to the public, and restricted to council-permitted events.

Councillors considered this at a strategy and policy committee meeting on February 26. They were given four options - a non-binding poll, an online poll, a remit to Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) and doing nothing.

Councillor Charlie Anderson didn't address any of the options.

"There's nothing good about fireworks. No one can tell me anything good about fireworks," he said.

Alan Taylor was equally blunt.

"We don't need an online poll. The community will be split. I think we should just make a decision."

The Prime Minister wants to know New Zealanders' opinions on fireworks, council policy analyst Justin Walters said, but it won't be a high priority for Government unless people say so.

Several councillors felt it would be good to get the opinion of residents - but not at the potentially $30,000 cost of a non-binding poll posted out with election papers.

There are already two questions going out to voters, Councillor Josh Chandulal-MacKay said. They are important questions about democracy - one of them is whether to use the STV system for voting.

Fireworks would dilute the importance of those two questions, he said.

He and most of the others supported council's policy team doing an online poll, despite the fact it will not be as "scientific" as a voter version and could go into the Facebook "echo chamber".

Once public views are known the matter could be put forward to LGNZ as a remit - the option favoured by both Fallen and committee chairwoman Kate Joblin.