An Auckland Council contractor is no longer employed after allegedly defecating in bushes near a popular local playground earlier this year.
The man was spotted by an eyewitness engaging in the unhygienic behavior in Dannemora.
A complaint made online to the council states that at about 12.45pm on January 10 the witness saw the contractor defecate in bushes between the Botany Downs Secondary College field and the playground in Logan Carr Reserve.
“He was wearing a bright orange high-vis top and blue trousers.
“He was in bushes about 50 steps from a playground on Kilkenny Drive in Dannemora and right beside the Botany College field.
“I walked past him and saw that his trousers were down.
“He was facing out, so anyone who walked past him would have seen his exposed genitals, instead of in toward the bushes.”
A short time later the contractor walked toward a white Toyota utility vehicle parked on Kilkenny Drive.
He then returned to the bushes before going back to the vehicle and leaving.
“About 10 minutes later I walked past the bushes and observed a pile of human excrement in the exact area the man had been standing,” the witness told the council.
“There was a bad stench coming from the area and flies were on the faeces.
“His behaviour in defecating in a public place is disgusting as he could have easily gone to a fast-food restaurant or gas station to use a bathroom.”
An online map shows it’s less than 2km from the defecation location to multiple fast food restaurants that have toilets available to the public, such as the Botany McDonald’s on Ti Rakau Drive.
The witness told the council he wanted the excrement removed from the public area and for the contractor to be told such behaviour is unacceptable in New Zealand.
Six days after making the online complaint, the witness received an email from the council saying it was sorry to hear about the incident.
The concerns had been lodged with the council’s community facilities department for investigation and response and the witness was provided with a reference number.
Three months later and the witness has not been provided with information as to the outcome of any investigation into the incident.
The Times contacted the council for an update and received a statement from Marcel Morgan, manager area operations Howick and Maungakiekie-Tamaki Local Boards.
“On January 10, 2024, Auckland Council received a complaint from a member of the public alleging that on that same day a contractor defecated in bushes at Logan Carr Reserve in Dannemora,” Morgan says.
“Auckland Council looked into this complaint and concluded that this incident did happen.
“On January 24, an Auckland Council staff member apologised to the complainant over the phone on behalf of the contractor company.
“Auckland Council does not tolerate this sort of behaviour from contractors and we take complains about it seriously.
“We understand the person involved is no longer employed by the contractor.”
