Kerre Woodham: At what point do we think about fencing around Wellington's waterfront?

I understand and I totally appreciate you cannot possibly fence off every waterway in the country.

Imagine you've been hiking for hours through glorious back country, to come across the crest of a hill and in the near distance spy a beautiful alpine lake surrounded by a wire fence, with all sorts of health and safety warnings. That would not be the experience you'd be after.

Homeowners who have a water feature or a swimming pool in their backyard are required to comply with rigorous regulations around the fencing of their pools. If a tree is too close to a fence or a wall, there are consequences. Adjustments must be made, I know this from personal experience.

And the regulations are policed by the local councils, fines and remedial work must be undertaken if anything at all is found to be in breach of the regulations. Fair enough.

Our death by swimming pool drownings of children was horrific up until the late 80s and the regulations were introduced. They have dropped off a cliff since then.  

The beaches, rivers, lakes. There's an acceptance that they can't possibly be fenced even in this overregulated society, and nor, indeed should they. But what about a body of water that edges along a thriving hospitality area?

Wellington's waterfront is absolutely gorgeous. The mix of public spaces, apartments, hospitality areas make it a fantastic place to visit and a template for how to do waterfront living.

But far too many people are ending up in the harbour with fatal consequences.

2006, 2020, 2023, 2025, 2026, 2017, 2019, two in 2021.

These are the people who have ended up dead after falling into the waterfront for whatever reason. Three people have been rescued over that time, barely alive.

A local skipper who reckons he's pulled several people out of the water over the 15 years he's worked in the harbour says permanent barriers are a no brainer. Permanent balustrades would have saved every one of those lives.  

There's something beautiful about the sea flowing onto the land and having a connection with the water. Having people able to be right up to the water's edge and be a part of the beauty. That mixed living, mixed spaces – fantastic.

But at what point do you say too many people have died. If this was a workplace, if Wellington Waterfront Inc. was a workplace and you'd had deaths between 2006 and 2023, you'd be shut down if you were a workplace.

What do you do?

You've visited Wellington. You have walked around areas of Auckland where there is that same level of mixed living where the sea comes right up to the people. You don't seem to have the same problems in Auckland’s harbour around the viaduct area.

Possibly because there are so many people around there night and day, they could spot you if you went in. So what is it about Wellington that makes it a draw card for so many people but also the final destination for so many people?

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