Whanganui to fix up its gang patch bylaw

Whanganui District Council wants to write a new bylaw banning gang patches after the High Court found its current bylaw was illegal, as it did not specify which places the ban applied. Its specified places referred to “ all public places” under the control of the Council.

In other words, they didn’t draft the bylaw[PDF] correctly. So the Hells Angels sought a judicial review of the bylaw and won.

So there will be a new Wanganui District Council (Gang Insignia Prohibition) Bylaw. Except this time the Council wants assistance from central government to assist with the legal and financial aspects of drafting the bylaw. This should come into force in September.