City seeks aid to ban 'Boobs'

Auckland is to ask the Government for the power to ban parades such as Boobs on Bikes, which bring Queen St to a standstill.

Pornographer Steve Crow holds the parade each year to promote his Sexpo shows, attracting about 50,000 people into the city. Last year, Auckland City Council went to court in a bid to halt the parade, but District Court Judge Nicola Mathers said it could go ahead even if it was tacky. She said it was not unlawful for females to walk down the street topless.

The council began a High Court bid to get that decision overturned but on Thursday the council's city development committee is likely to end that action.

A working party on the bylaw, headed by councillor Graeme Mulholland, has instead recommended that the council write to Prime Minister John Key "to put council's case and seek a legis- lative change to enable the council to regulate events that are not deemed suitable to the public domain".

Mr Mulholland said all but one councillor voted to ban the parade last year.

Mr Crow could not be reached for comment.

- © Fairfax NZ News

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