Tasman District Council Fights Back Against Vandalism of Bilingual Welcome Signs

The Tasman District Council has reaffirmed its support for te reo Māori following repeated vandalism of its bilingual ‘Welcome to Tasman’ signs in the Upper Buller area. The council describes the act as “mindless narrow-minded behaviour” and a waste of ratepayer money.

Repeating Offenses

Over the past year, “racists” have targeted the signs by removing te reo Māori sections and, in some cases, replacing them with offensive graffiti. The council’s five bilingual welcome signs are located on highways and major thoroughfares into the Tasman region.

According to Chris Choat, Tasman District Council’s communications manager, there had been between 12 and 15 incidents of vandalism of those signs in the past year. “Those signs have been vandalised to the point that we’re under no illusion that it is the te reo portion of those signs that seems to be offending a small number of people,” he said.

Financial Burden

The council has repaired the signs each time, but acknowledged the financial burden this imposed. “It’s not a big number, but it’s the ongoing nature of this that diverts time, money, and personnel away from other projects that we could be doing,” Choat said.

Te reo Māori was part of the council’s assets, just as the signs were part of the community’s identity. “Te reo is one of our languages. We’ve embraced it. It’s an official language, but it is still just a part of our council assets owned by the community, and we take pride in those assets,” Choat said.

A Call to Action

Choat urged those responsible for vandalism to consider the broader impact of their actions. “Of course, you can express your opinions in a variety of ways that don’t cost ratepayers money. If you do feel strongly, use those channels, not ones that put another zero on the ratepayer’s account.”

The council has taken some steps to protect the signs but acknowledged practicalities limited the ability to prevent vandalism entirely. “Yes, we do things to protect the signs, and we’ve taken some measures, but we are realistic about the ongoing cost of this and the practicalities of defending those signs at all costs,” Choat said.

A Message of Respect

Tasman District Council has called for greater respect towards te reo Māori and said it had no time for racism in the region. “No-one is losing or giving up anything through the use of te reo Māori. In fact, we are gaining something,” the council stated.

The council also expressed its commitment to the Māori worldview, language and culture. “We respect the Māori worldview, language and culture. Do/be better, guys.”

In conclusion, the Tasman District Council remains committed to supporting te reo Māori despite repeated instances of vandalism. The council urges those responsible for vandalism to consider the broader impact of their actions and to express their opinions in a way that respects the community’s values.