May 24, 2021
Warehouse fireworks ban relief for Tupuna Maunga Authority
Auckland’s Tūpuna Maunga Authority is welcoming the decision by The Warehouse to stop selling fireworks.
Last year the authority closed all its maunga to the public for the week of Guy Fawkes to protect them from fires.
Chair Paul Majurey says the exercise cost almost $100,000.
Fireworks caused massive fires at Maungarei / Mt Wellington and Maungawhau / Mt Eden in 2019 and 2020, and there have been numerous other instances of reckless fireworks-based behaviour.
He says it’s heartening to see the country’s largest general merchandise retailer take the step, and he’s encouraging all other fireworks retailers to follow suit.
The authority is also calling on the Government to ban the public sale of fireworks.
The Warehouse says selling fireworks no longer fits with its values, and customer surveys shows more than half preferred to attend public fireworks displays than have fireworks at home.
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