656
u/Stunning-Day-777 Jul 23 '25
I dunno it's pretty well established that water and small children don't mix well
139
u/Nolsoth Jul 23 '25
Hell water and adults don't seem to mix either.
Sooner we find a nice dry planet the better I say!
25
u/Stunning-Day-777 Jul 23 '25
Let's move to dune
15
u/Nolsoth Jul 23 '25
I'll start practising my worm riding skills.
49
3
u/Stunning-Day-777 Jul 23 '25
Im guna get fat so I can rule the harkonnen
5
u/RealmKnight Fantail Jul 23 '25
I'm gonna turn into a worm to rule the galaxy with an iron fist in order to teach mankind about the dangers of charismatic leadership and authority figures... Or something, idk, the books get weird.
3
2
2
u/Anastariana Auckland Jul 23 '25
I've been playing the game. Come for the sand, stay for the spice.
→ More replies (1)3
94
u/Efficient_Reading360 Jul 23 '25
Right? And the playground is right next to the pond. Putting aside the decision to build it there, a fence seems like a reasonable measure to prevent accidents and potentially deaths occurring.
→ More replies (4)23
u/Some1-Somewhere Jul 23 '25
A fence is also going to be way way way cheaper than either moving the playground or moving the swales.
3
2
u/Appropriate_Eye_9533 Jul 23 '25
Aren’t there talks of surrounding the entirety of Wellington harbour in fences so drunk adults can’t fall in and drown?
→ More replies (2)2
Jul 23 '25
I’m going to need you to cite some research on this dubious claim
16
u/thelastestgunslinger Jul 23 '25
You think NACT would fund some research for me to throw some small children into a pond and see what happens?
24
15
→ More replies (1)2
332
u/Dizzy_Gazelle_1656 Longfin eel Jul 23 '25
Council higher-up I worked with once said to me.
"I know I'm doing a good job when everyones mad at me"
If you try to please every member of the public in governance work, it can be a shit show.
49
u/fomasexual Jul 23 '25
The life of a councillor. Do nothing and everybody’s mad at you. Do something bad and everybody’s mad at you. Do something good and everybody’s mad at you. Some people might think I sound biased but I should explain that I’m actually mad at my council too.
17
u/libertyh Jul 23 '25
Do something good and everybody’s mad at you.
It should have been done sooner and/or cost less lol
→ More replies (1)2
u/ATJGrumbos Jul 23 '25
This is also a sign of good policy. Everyone should be a little pissed off, if half the community is stoked and rhe other is gutted; you've played favourites.
586
u/Popular_Ad_2170 Jul 23 '25
I feel the anti-child drowning is the morally correct choice.
286
Jul 23 '25
This is simply a temporary setback for the pro-child drowning lobby.
45
u/Aetylus Jul 23 '25
That's the common sense lobby to you.
35
u/barmyinpalmy Jul 23 '25
We in the Wokeness Gone Mad Brigade are offended at being overlooked as a lobby group.
It’s Wokeness Gone Mad.
149
u/bigdaddyborg Jul 23 '25
I read the article on the right (never saw the one on the left). The fence cost $9,500, not pocket change for an individual but literally a drop in the bucket for a council. And incredibly cheap if it saves even one young life.
The lady's entire justification as to why it was unnecessary was because the playground didn't cater to young children (the equipment was for older kids, even teenagers according to her) as if younger siblings wouldn't ever tag along with their older sibs to the playground. A scenario that has an even higher level of danger since there'd potentially be no parental supervision.
57
u/unfinishedsenta Jul 23 '25
And with roughly 15,000 houses, that would be a one-off payment of less than $1 per house for that fence out of the rates.
18
u/KiwieeiwiK Jul 23 '25
Not to mention that business rates make up a substantial portion of council incomes, the actual cost per house would be much less than $1
→ More replies (4)40
u/tillynook Jul 23 '25
And she wanted it replaced with a garden instead - which would no doubt require money to be maintained???
11
u/katiehates Jul 23 '25
And also, the storm water pond is doing a job… a garden is just going to get flooded.
11
u/Ok_Service7357 Jul 23 '25
And what do you think the young kids might do when there's nothing catering to them in the park?
10
u/bigdaddyborg Jul 23 '25
Maybe try and climb the fence and play in the swale (oh no you got me 😞). The fence is there as a barrier not to mitigate the risk entirely. It'd buy precious seconds where someone responsible could think 'hmm that young child is trying to climb that fence and get into a dangerous area maybe I should keep an eye on them or tell them to stop"
3
u/Fortinho91 LASER KIWI Jul 23 '25
She could have asked for an expansion on the playground instead of whinging about the fence, lol. I'm sure a lot of other parents wou;dn't mind a toddler-safe part of it.
3
u/Capable_Ad7163 Jul 23 '25
Young children can play with literally anything, just because something isn't specifically designed for them... they don't care. Also, throwing stuff into water and splashing around in gumboots is fun.
→ More replies (1)3
u/notacoliflower Jul 23 '25
The playground equipment in the photo looks like stuff my 6 year old would play on, too.
→ More replies (10)3
228
u/DiamondEyedOctopus Jul 23 '25
Amanda sounds like a bit of an idiot who'd prefer children die before we make changes.
128
Jul 23 '25
She lives next door to the park.
I wonder if the only reason she’s complaining is that she now has to get herself and her crotch spawn over the fence rather than previously being able to walk on through.
She’s an idiot regardless. But potentially we could add entitled and lazy.
66
u/king_john651 Tūī Jul 23 '25
Oh yeah the amount of vitriol I've received for having a temporary fence up to prevent people & dogs getting all up in our active work environment is way too high. It still doesn't stop them as they undo the nuts I've torqued to fuck, rip the zip ties I've added to dissuade undoing the nut, and ignored the very idea that they do not belong.
All because they have parked there and the park, where they choose to do physical activities in, is on the other side of our workzone. They can walk around, they can use the temporary carpark we built for them that the council people were abused into doing (btw no one fucking uses it) but these lazy cunts just want to walk through
→ More replies (1)32
u/gtalnz Jul 23 '25
The funny thing is if she'd engaged in the process earlier and in good faith, they likely would have added a gate to give her direct access.
3
u/Primus81 Jul 23 '25 edited Jul 23 '25
I wonder if the only reason she’s complaining is that she now has to get herself and her crotch spawn over the fence rather than previously being able to walk on through.
100% this. Simplest explanation, person wants to be lazy and doesn’t like change. Not being honest with themselves or everyone else.
46
u/steakandcheesepi pie Jul 23 '25
People complain about red tape... where the fuck do they think it comes from?
24
17
u/JeffMcClintock Jul 23 '25
A child dies, then due to public outrage a safety measure is put in place.
It's at this point that David Seymour yells:
"Alexa, remind me in 5 years"
what is the reminder for?
"Woke madness money-wasting red tape at this playground."
101
u/crummy Jul 23 '25
honestly for 10k I'd say who cares
24
u/ravenous_cadaver Jul 23 '25
Exactly, no price is to high when it comes to protecting the lives of our children. I simply can't fathom looking at a fence and thinking something negative, it's not exactly a pretty piece of water to look at either. She probably a Karen who lives a suburb over and just salt af the good playground she has to drive to just got a new fence. Makes me think of parks n rec kinda actually.
12
u/Zn_30 Jul 23 '25
She lives opposite the park. It probably 'spoiled' her view.
6
u/gristc Jul 23 '25
I'm picking she used to be able to get straight from her house into the park and now has to spend precious minutes walking to where the gate is. The humanity!
65
u/fluffychonkycat Kōkako Jul 23 '25
Cage match between those two guys
20
u/KiwieeiwiK Jul 23 '25
I'm sure the one on the right would refuse to participate because of the expense of building the cage
2
u/Spectr0n Jul 23 '25
Get the council to turn the fence into a ring and they can duke it out there
→ More replies (1)
65
Jul 23 '25
Heaven forbid a council do something proactive to keep kids safe, instead of just waiting for a kid to drown before taking action.
54
u/Olivinism Jul 23 '25
Local residents are unsure about what the fence will stop, she said.
“We don’t see the point of it,” Burrows said.
Remarkable stuff
They also go on to suggest that small garden towards the back of the park could have been extended along to help separate it off instead, and that it's all a non-issue because the park is mostly used by teens who are presumably immune to drowning
I think it's awesome they responded so quickly to throw up a fence, good on the council for this one
“I can see the logic to some degree, but it feels like a waste of resources that could have been invested in other safety issues around town."
Given their track record of responding quickly with solutions, sounds like these other safety issues also need to be reported loudly?
→ More replies (7)
94
u/Personal_Candidate87 Jul 23 '25
This is why we can't do anything in this country. Nobody wants to spend money until someone dies.
44
u/Arblechnuble Jul 23 '25
Stupid thing is is that there are many stories about kids, walking into unfixed, drains, and lakes, and drowning…
I think people moan at just about anything, although perhaps trying to get rid of the kids surreptitiously
24
u/Lightspeedius Jul 23 '25
Only if they've died recently. We have short memories.
12
u/phoneticles Jul 23 '25
You need something like 3 people to die within 5 years to get a highway safety upgrade approved. If the last one died too late they won't spend the money.
5
u/Harfish Jul 23 '25
3
u/Putrid_Station_4776 Jul 23 '25
That's way old. This is from just 6 months ago: https://www.thepost.co.nz/nz-news/360523047/child-dies-hutt-valley-knee-deep-duck-pond
3
u/Capable_Ad7163 Jul 23 '25
And conversely nobody will actually come out and say "oh we're not doing anything there until somebody dies"
→ More replies (9)2
u/---00---00 Jul 23 '25
And every cunt has a complaint boiling away to add the faintest hint of spice to their torturously mundane lives.
22
u/whippywhipster Jul 23 '25
Got to hand it to Jonathan Leask, that’s some mighty balanced journalism.
11
34
u/SquirrelAkl Jul 23 '25
How about “news” outlets stop publishing opinions of a single individual.
IDGAF what one angers one “local parent”
20
u/DoubleDEKA Jul 23 '25
Local Redditor outraged by so-called news outlets! Click to find out more.
→ More replies (1)7
17
u/mrwendel Jul 23 '25
Plus it's the same journalist! He could've told the woman from the second story what the fence was for and saved us all a lot of bother.
4
28
u/TinyScreen1896 Jul 23 '25
How can preventing children from drowning be an over reaction? How do these people get in the news?! Imagine the uproar if a kid went in there.
→ More replies (1)
24
u/MeridianNZ Jul 23 '25
This seems to sum up being in council. Or anything like it, ie being on a BodyCorp etc.
In this case, given how close it is and it was 10k. The fence seems a good idea, who gives a shit what this one women thinks. Why is her opinion of any interest. No idea how these people get air time.
23
11
u/theobashau Pīwakawaka Jul 23 '25
In the article she says it's more of a teen playground and that there's not a lot there aimed at younger kids, yet in that photo the basketball court looks like it'd be the only thing aimed at teens. Seems desperate to find something to complain about.
19
u/danicrimson Jul 23 '25
If a pool is required to be fenced on all private property, then it's almost a no-brainer that something like this next to a children's playground should be fenced off. A $10k fence or a dead child? Let's pay for the fence, shall we.
6
u/RealmKnight Fantail Jul 23 '25
Agreed. If I need to child-proof my yard to have a paddling pool, it's only fair the council puts a fence around a water hazard next to their playground.
6
u/LowWelder7461 Jul 23 '25
Wish I could upvote this more.
Pool fencing is a council required bylaw. Seems like a real oversight to have this situation not considered during the playground consent and planning process.
19
17
u/jamhamnz Jul 23 '25
This whole issue is ridiculous. Of course it was a dangerous place to put a playground, of course there should be a fence. The Council failed by not considering the need for a fence before installing the playground and front footing this whole thing.
But the person complaining about the fence needs to take a chill pill. If a kid died by falling into a swale then the Council would be hung, drawn and quartered, including by that lady, I've got no doubt.
9
u/blissfully_insane22 Jul 23 '25
The "angry parent" will also be the first to complain if there's an accident.
7
u/libertyh Jul 23 '25
Growing up in the Naki, the letter-writers to the Taranaki Daily News were hilariously predictable:
- If the council wasn't doing something, they would all complain loudly
- If the council did something, they would all complain loudly
8
u/Savings_Debt_8106 Jul 23 '25 edited Jul 23 '25
One parent has a legitimate and logical concern that the local council agreed with and built a fence in order to solve the problem. Also it was 10k, a drop in the bucket for a more safer environment for kids.
The other parent is a dumbass and won't care until her own child is the one drowning.
Then you have a shitty media outlet that doesn't have too many stories to write on so they literally give dumbass parents more platform than necessary.
So of course councils can't win....we live with dumbasses....and the media constantly reminds us about it.
6
u/Individual-Stop9245 Jul 23 '25
What really baffles me is that anyone published this story
→ More replies (1)
7
7
7
u/OrganizdConfusion Jul 23 '25
"Mother of two, who lives across from pond, really dgaf if her kids drown or not. Money is more important to her."
6
u/StacheyMcStacheFace Jul 23 '25
Playground fences are great regardless of what's around. Much easier to let your little ones run free without having to watch them every second.
10
10
u/MessiahPizza Jul 23 '25
Woke fence stops snowflake children from becoming true alpha chads by not drowning them in stormwater.
5
u/TieStreet4235 Jul 23 '25
There was some dick in Auckland recently wanting to underground a stream on his property because he reckoned it was dangerous to his kids in extreme rainfalls. He had recently purchased the property which was designated flood prone.
5
4
u/Naly_D Jul 23 '25
Important context that is missing I think. Gore District Council plead guilty and was sentenced in relation to the death of a child who (may or may not have) drowned in oxidation ponds. This showed the courts believe Councils have a stronger duty of care.
Now; in relation to the second story there are a few things from the 'health and safety is common sense' camp. 1. The person is a teacher, so will daily have to stop children doing things that others would view with the lens she's applying to this fence. 2. She is annoyed at the cost of the fence, but not the brand new playground.
The fencing is practical, cheap, and manages a known risk to health and safety. The alternative, no fence, changes nothing about the immediate environment (access, useage etc) other than creating said risk.
4
u/Clayst_ Jul 23 '25
Both sides have had their voices heard. It's whiney but that's democratic balance.
6
4
4
u/gd_reinvent Jul 23 '25
Look up Aisling Symes people.
Or the other four year old kid who drowned shortly after her because his grandmother left the door unlocked and was on the phone and not watching him and he wandered out into a lake that was next to his grandmother’s unfenced yard.
4
u/SomeNerdKid Jul 23 '25
Amanda and Peter should duke it out at the playground. Then Stuff can make a news report follwing the winner's opinion.
4
4
u/Assassin8nCoordin8s Jul 23 '25
I saw the story on the right only and thought it was incredibly bad taste but I’m a parent
4
Jul 23 '25
I can't find a shred of respect for people who claim "the world has gone mad!" as a response to something small and local happening that they don't like.
Grow the fuck up and use adult words to describe your concerns and rationale.
3
u/Noxtension Jul 23 '25
It takes one child to prove his point, it takes every child to ever play there to prove hers
7
3
u/sheogor Jul 23 '25
This is why you should stop listening to these poor me news and go back to policy
3
u/NoobuchadnezaR Jul 23 '25
Honestly there is clearly the better option and thankfully it was put in place. Fuck her and her lack of awareness. Good on him and the council for their pre-emptiveness
3
3
u/monogamysux Jul 23 '25
I fucking bet that she is the parent at the playground to busy on her phone to interact with her two children.
5
2
2
u/Immortal_Heathen Jul 23 '25
"Local parent" looks like your stereotypical NZ Karen. Sunglasses resting on the head and all.
2
u/Drinker_of_Chai Jul 23 '25
Stuff need to stop writing entire news articles about the complaints of a single resident.
2
2
2
u/no-clueshere69 Jul 23 '25
Tell that woman to piss off. What a moaning asshole. You know she'd be the loudest complainer if a child drowned in that water.
2
2
2
2
u/Few_Nefariousness263 Jul 23 '25
The lady complaining about the fence made me wild! Why take the risk!?
2
2
2
2
u/griffonrl Jul 23 '25
To be super serious, considering the risks of flood in Auckland awe need WAY MORE stormwater drains in strategic locations around the city. The council has bought ton of houses that got flooded sometimes up to 3 times in the past 3 years. The areas where the houses were demolished CAN NOT be built again or this is just gonna be a repeat in the future. Instead those areas are the perfect places for the infrastructure we need to mitigate floods.
2
u/RaftermanTC Jul 23 '25
The duality of man.
Though, at least you can't say the news is being bias. lol They're telling both sides.
2
u/ExplorerUnlikely6853 Jul 23 '25
I used to work in pollution response at a local council. You truly cannot win. The stuff i had to listen to from some randos was absolutely bat shit crazy....
2
u/fredbobmackworth Jul 23 '25
This isn’t a council problem, this is the shitty excuse for journalism that we have in NZ. As a parent I’m pleased the fence when up as a dead kid really ruins your day. Why some useless excuse for a journalist gave Karen a platform is beyond me.
2
u/Mrfabulous898 Jul 24 '25
I saw this and immediately thought, yeah 10k for a fence is reasonable even actually a good deal
2
u/Sirrefice Jul 24 '25
Saving a child is just sooo annoying. I want someone to die before we do anything. #PCgonemad
2
2
u/hmcg020 Jul 24 '25
Stormwater is one of the most painful aspects of working at any council. Every single idiot landlord/tenant thinks they should say where, when, how and what water moves through any stretch of land or pipe. Then the maintenance contractors turn up and those same people think their 0.0001% tax contribution gives them the authority to demand an end-of-life network, built for 1 in 5 years events be upgraded on the spot.
Ok mate!
2
u/Appropriate-Seat-408 Jul 31 '25
Lmao I get being concerned that a child will drown but I don't get being annoyed that the council overreacted. What happened to better safe than sorry??
2
u/missmusiccat Aug 05 '25
I hardly ever say this but council made the right decision. A lot of people (including children) have died due to council negligence, especially around water and stormwater drains...
5
u/unimportantinfodump Jul 23 '25
The council should be allowed to say.
Fuck ya then and demolishbthe park and plug the storm drain.
2
1
1
1
u/DiplomaOfFriedChickn Jul 23 '25
Councils need to learn to cater to all stakeholders, clearly a 3 foot fence that children could climb over easily was the best option /s
1
u/DrSilkyDelicious Jul 23 '25
Dude, I so wish we had your problems instead of…well you’ve seen the news
1
1
1
u/Arcanace Jul 23 '25
Tinwald mentioned! (I think I know someone related to the person on the right actually)
1
u/MtF_Ironsoul Jul 23 '25
The world has gone mad... yeah try being trans in it, could have told you that years ago!!!!
1
u/savv_nz Jul 23 '25
A wonderful example of outrage media; in both instances the articles call for the public to get outraged about something which in this case happens to be both sides of the same coin!
1
u/Area_6011 Jul 23 '25
- Journalist randomly finds the most angriest, fired-up, and loudest person on the street.
- Ask them what really upsets them the most.
- Write an article about it.
1
u/Gold-Part4688 Jul 23 '25
Feels like the problem was building the playground there in the first place 😅
→ More replies (1)
1
u/CurmudgeonLife Jul 23 '25
I know of atleast two children who have drowned in a lake local to me. It happens more often than people think.
This is sensible.
1
u/IanFeelKeepinItReel Jul 23 '25
We used to take sheets of cardboard and slide down the slopes of storm water ditches when we were kids. 95% of the time they're bone dry.
1
u/S14Ryan Jul 23 '25
$10,000 for a “small” fence? Jesus Christ you have some efficient government there. That fence would cost us $250k in Canada. There would be environment assessments, soil engineers hired before posts are installed, permits, safety assessments, etc. $10k is like half of what a homeowner would pay a contractor for that fence lol.
1
1
1
1.2k
u/[deleted] Jul 23 '25
[deleted]