A pride advocate is calling a petition to stop a rainbow pedestrian crossing from being installed in Tauranga “nothing short of disgusting”.
Gordy Lockhart campaigned for six years to get a rainbow crossing in Tauranga and presented a petition to Tauranga City Council in April.
The crossing was approved by the council’s Community, Transparency and Engagement Committee last month.
Shortly after, an online petition was started calling for the crossing to be halted because of the $10,000 cost.
The black and white crossing, flanked with progress pride flags will be installed in the city centre on Devonport Rd outside the library, He Puna Manawa.
The council planned to put a pedestrian crossing there so staff recommended adding the rainbow element to increase vibrancy in the area after receiving Lockhart’s petition.
The estimated cost of installing a standard pedestrian crossing is $5000 and the rainbow markings are $5000.
Petition organiser Wayne Farrant said it did not aim to undermine the values of diversity and inclusion.
“It’s more to highlight the importance [of] how we’re allocating our city’s resources.”
Asked if it changed things, given the standard pedestrian crossing was always going to be installed, Farrant replied: “Not really”.
“It’s a highly political statement. I think it will prove to be more divisive than what they are intending it to achieve.”
This was evident in other cities where rainbow crossings had been painted over, he said.
Rainbow crossings in Gisborne and Auckland were vandalised with paint earlier in the year.
“I think by painting this you’re going to divide the community a lot more,” said Farrant.
“I appreciate that they [LGBTQIA+] want to feel included and part of the community, but to be fair, I don’t think they’re excluded from the community at all.”
Farrant was also concerned the community was not consulted or told the rainbow crossing was being considered by the council.
“I just don’t feel the community was consulted on it. It represents a significant expense.”
Farrant said there were other ways to celebrate diversity such as a mural.
The options for the rainbow crossing were in the September 10 committee meeting agenda. Agendas are available at least two working days before the meeting.
Mayor Mahé Drysdale said the cost of the crossing was marginal and since the council was elected, they had already saved ratepayers money.
CBD business owners were consulted about the crossing, but the cost of community consultation would cost more than the crossing, he said.
Lockhart said in his view, the petition was “nothing short of disgusting”.
Lockhart, the founder of the inclusivity charity You Be You, said the rainbow crossing originated as a symbol of gay civil rights and to remember the thousands of LGBTQIA+ people murdered over the years.
“In 2024 it stands as a marker of our society’s diversity, and it’s there to represent all the colours of the human race.
“I have no idea how on earth an example of a diversity could be considered divisive.”
Farrant would present his petition with 2781 signatures to the council committee’s meeting today.
Lockhart said it was “horrifying” the petition was going to be presented and he believed it did not have grounds to do so.
“In my view [the] council should simply have said no, we’re not even going to entertain that petition.
“It’s just repeating the same discussion.”
People had an opportunity to express their opinions at the September or April meetings, Lockhart said.
Committee chairman councillor Kevin Schuler said the council was happy to receive the petition and looked forward to hearing the thinking behind it.
“We understand that there is concern about the allocation of city funds towards projects that might not directly benefit the community’s essential needs.
“It is felt that the crossing represents a significant expense which could be better directed towards other areas.”
Schuler said the petition supported diversity being celebrated in ways that did not require substantial public money or alter city infrastructure in ways that could be seen as divisive or unnecessary.
Grounds for not accepting a petition included not being within the jurisdiction of the council, the petition being repetitious or similar to an already-considered petition, or containing malicious statements, defamatory information or unfounded allegations, the council’s website states.
Farrant will present his petition at the meeting today.
LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air
