Ref: 22-114
Derek Vos
[email address]
23 August 2022
Lance D. Lavery
Via email: [FYI request #20092 email]
Dear Lance
Official information request relating Giant Billboards Advertising Alcoholic Beverages
I refer to your official information request dated 1 August 2022.
The information you have requested is enclosed. The questions you specified have been included as
numbered headings in bold below, with our response following each heading.
1. Please provide the name of the person that is responsible for granting international
companies consent to advertise Alcoholic beverages on a giant billboard on the sides of
the City Fitness building located at 1 Walton Leigh Avenue?
The Council issued a resource consent decision (signed under delegated authority) on 13
August 2021 to erect digital billboards on the respective facades of the building at 1 Walton
Leigh Avenue. A copy of the decision is appended to this response.
2. Does the Porirua City Council believe that is acceptable and appropriate to advertise
these particular products on a building that has a tenant that provides care and protection
services for vulnerable Children that have quite often experienced the negative impacts of
Alcohol?
The Council has no regulatory responsibilities with respect to the advertising content on privately
owned billboards. Under the Act, we are only required to provide information ‘held’ by the
Council, we are not required to ‘create’ information, or provide an opinion. Therefore, this
question is more suitably directed to the billboard owners.
3. Does the Porirua City Council believe that [it] is acceptable and appropriate to advertise
these particular products on a building that has a tenant that provides health and fitness
services for the majority of the health and fitness minded people in Porirua?
Please see our response to Q2.
4. Please provide the policy that concerns advertising on billboards in Porirua City
Council does not have a policy that regulates advertising content on private property.
From a Resource Management Act perspective, there are rules and standards in the District
Plan that regulate signage relative to different zones.
Please refer to section 3 of the appended decision, which outlines the reasons for consent
relative to the billboard signage.
Please note that New Zealand has an Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) that covers matters
of social responsibility. This may be an avenue that you may choose to explore.
If you wish to discuss this decision with us, please feel free to contact Moana Wyatt at
[Porirua City Council request email]. Ngā mihi
Wendy Walker
Chief Executive
Kaiwhakahaere Matua
