Window-washing ban passes first reading

A bill to ban car window-washers at intersections passed its first reading 93-28 in Parliament last night and has been referred to the select committee. The amendment to the Land Transport Act 2004, introduced by National MP Jami-Lee Ross and drawn from the member’s ballot last December, states that “a road user must not use a road to wash or offer to wash a vehicle, or any part thereof, in a manner that may be unsafe, that may intimidate or cause a nuisance to any person, or may cause an obstruction to vehicles.” The amendment was supported by Labour, National, ACT and United Future, while the Maori Party, Green Party and New Zealand First opposed it. “This is an unashamed and genuine attempt to deal with and assist local members from my electorate and around Auckland with an issue that motorists in Auckland and other parts of New Zealand deal with on a regular basis,” Ross said. “The police are of the view that if they have a tool in their tool box that they can use to move window washers on from an intersection, there will be a reduction in violence around intersections... and the potential safety hazards that are around window washers.” Labour pledged its support to the amendment, and Police spokesman Stuart Nash called it a “pragmatic solution to an identified issue.” “Unless there is a compelling reason that we hear in the select committee, I cannot see why we would not support it all the way through,” he said. Green Party MP Jan Logie opposed the bill, saying it could be considered “another attack on the poor,” and local councils have the power to pass by-laws prohibiting window-washers, which some, including the Christchurch City Council, have already done. Logie questioned the power the amendment gave to the transport minister to request further changes to the Land Transport Act. “The amendment... would allow the minister to make rules that prohibit people from being a nuisance to other road users, which potentially could allow the minister to unilaterally impose rules controlling almost any so-called antisocial behaviour on the road,” she said. Denis O’Rourke criticised the bill on behalf of New Zealand First, calling the amendment unnecessary and “it is going to be ineffective.” The bill has been referred to the Transport and Industrial Relations Committee, with a report due on October 12.