Confirmation the
Otago University Students Association (OUSA) toga parade will
not be held next year has been welcomed by police, retailers
and Dunedin's mayor.
The parade, one of the main events of February's Orientation
fortnight, degenerated into bedlam this year, with Dunedin
City Council contractors and retailers left to clean up eggs,
flour, blood, vomit, faeces, paint, bottles, smashed signs,
broken windows and accumulated rubbish from George St and
adjoining footpaths.
The University of Otago disciplined 17 students for their
behaviour under its code of student conduct provisions.
Three were suspended from classes for a semester and all were
ordered to contribute to clean-up costs or pay compensation
for damage and given formal warnings by police.
Dunedin police emergency response commander Inspector
Alastair Dickie was "very pleased" cancellation had been
confirmed.
"After the shamozzle of this year's parade, we don't want a
repeat," he said yesterday.
Traditionally, the parade had been a well-run and
trouble-free event, he said.
"This year, the wheels fell off, for some reason. It caught
us by surprise. It seems the parade has done its dash and
should be replaced with something more civilised."
George St retailers were vocal critics of this year's parade
and called for future parades to be canned.
Jeweller Brent Weatherall, whose shop window was broken on
the night and cost about $2000 to repair, said yesterday the
cancellation was "fantastic".
He said he and other retailers would have "stood outside our
premises and defended our patches" if the parade had been
held again.
Mr Weatherall said he embraced students but was "absolutely
appalled and disgusted" at the lack of remorse and
accountability shown by the OUSA after this year's parade.
OUSA president Edwin Darlow had not returned phone calls or
responded to his written complaint about his shop window
being broken, he said.
In the days after the event, Meridian mall manager Michael
Porter labelled the parade aftermath "absolutely disgusting".
He said yesterday he was not against students enjoying
themselves at a well-organised parade, but this year's event
had not had sufficient security, marshalls or supervision.
"It is a shame to see one parade tarnish the event for future
students, but if there is not going to be more marshals and
more supervision, then cancellation is the only option."
Dunedin Mayor Peter Chin was "quite happy" the parade would
not be held next year.
The OUSA used the disciplinary action meted out to students
because of misbehaviour at the parade to challenge the
legality of the code of conduct.
Last week, High Court judge Justice Warwick Gendall threw out
the OUSA's case and ruled the university was able to have and
apply a code on and off campusThe decision to cancel the
parade was made before the High Court decision was released,
Mr Darlow told the D Scene newspaper this week.
The Otago Daily Times was unable to contact him
yesterday to confirm that.
In a statement sent to the ODT yesterday, Mr Darlow said the
OUSA was still keen to hold some sort of orientation event
which welcomed students to the city, not just to the
university.
"What exactly that will entail we don't know at this stage.
Announcements regarding the OUSA orientation programme will
be made in due course."
allison.rudd@odt.co.nz
Bystanders instigated bedlam
Good on the students' association for cancelling the event. But it needs to be clarified that the bedlam was not instigated by people on the organised parade, but by bystanders (both students and non-students) who threw the objectionable items at the toga parade. This often seems to be forgotten when this is discussed or reported on.