Masterton District Council has responded to incidents of antisocial behaviour at Queen Elizabeth Park by giving Police delegated authority to trespass individuals under the Trespass Act 1980.

“This is not a step we take lightly, and comes after discussion with Police,” Masterton District Council Chief Executive David Hopman said.

“We were obviously highly concerned when we received reports of individuals and groups of young people behaving inappropriately at Queen Elizabeth Park and the new skatepark.”

Under the Act, Police will be able to immediately move people on from Queen Elizabeth Park where antisocial behaviour has taken place. They can also trespass offenders from the park after a warning to move on has been issued – with the duration of trespass depending on the individual and their behaviour.

“We already have security cameras installed at the park. These provide footage of sufficient quality to identify individuals. We are sharing this footage with Police to help with their investigations,” Hopman said.

“Our community has an incredible facility with Queen Elizabeth Park and our new skatepark. The vast majority of people behave appropriately when they enjoy this space, but everybody has the right to feel safe. We will work with Police to do all we can to ensure this is the case.”

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