Auckland Council will not be drawn on its next steps to remove illegal campers from its parks.

Three out of four sites were cleared yesterday and planning for the hugely popular Lantern Festival can now go ahead in Albert Park.
 
“We are pleased with the way things went yesterday – our staff and contractors did a good job under challenging circumstances,” said Doug McKay, Chief Executive.

“It’s now time for the remaining few to move on. The overwhelming feedback we are getting from Aucklanders is that they are very pleased their council has acted and they are getting their parks back.”

Auckland Council’s position remains clear. The right of Aucklanders to freedom of speech and protest will be defended. Illegal camping will not be tolerated as it unreasonably restricts the rights of all Aucklanders to enjoy their public spaces. The occupation also continues to cause a substantial amount of loss and damage to Council property that is an unfair burden on ratepayers.