11 June 2004
Tardy Retraction
Press Release POAG (Pool Owners Action Group) Spokesperson Gary Osborne
In my last press release I mentioned a highly inaccurate advertisement placed by Waitakere City Council in the
Aucklander on Wednesday 2nd June in relation to swimming pool drownings. The reaction from the Aucklander is that the
responsibility for the inaccuracy of the advertisement lies with Waitakere City Council. Waitakere City Council says
they have relied on information provided by the Water Safety Council and Denis Sheard, Legal services Manager for
Waitakere City Council said I should take the matter up with the Water Safety Council.
I rang Alan Muir, executive director of Water Safety New Zealand and he said the logo on the advertisement was for
WaterSafe Auckland so I took the matter up with Teresa Stanley of WaterSafe Auckland who said they had relied on
statistics provided by Water Safety New Zealand but had forwarded on some information to Waitakere City Council.
I asked for a copy of the information from which Waitakere City Council had deduced their inaccurate figure. I was told
the person responsible was not allowed to speak to me and I was to speak to Denis Sheard who would be away for the next
week.
I sent an email to Brigid McDonald, solicitor acting for Waitakere City Council in Denis Sheard's absence, asking the
person responsible for the advertisement to make a public retraction. I rang Brigid today and was told she will be away
for a few days so can't handle the matter.
Confused??? Become a pool owner in Waitakere City and you will find this is par for the course!!!
ENDS