Hunger strike over leaky home debate
not isolated.
Another couple in a similar situation — Milton and Jean Pedley took on Manawatu¯ District Council over an allegedly invalid Code Compliance Certificate.
The Pedleys spent nearly half a million dollars, taking their case as far as the High Court but eventually ran out of money.
“We’ve been through the court process,” Milton Pedley said. “We thought we’d be right, but we lost all the way so the courts out as far as I’m concerned. I’d never waste my time again with them. The council are untouchable and they’ll keep it that way as long as they can.”
Pedley said there was no justice for anyone who was honest, and democracy would only ever work if people were honest.
With the Pedleys’ warning, Griffiths has chosen a different course of action.
This week the couple hand delivered a letter to Manawatu¯ District Council chief executive Richard Templer, warning Griffiths will go on a hunger strike if the council does not take action to fix the shortcomings.
Griffiths’ decision has not been made lightly and he feels the council has given them no other option.
His health is already at risk from a past accident and heating system in the house was too dangerous to use because of poor
‘We’ve
been through the court process,” Milton Pedley said. “We thought we’d be right, but we lost all the way so the courts out as far as I’m concerned. I’d never waste my time again with them. The council are untouchable and
’ they’ll keep it that way as long as they can.
installation.
To keep warm over winter, the couple have shifted their bed to the lounge, a makeshift campsite they described as embarrassing.
NZME asked council chief executive Richard Templer and mayor Helen Warboys for comment but they refused, both saying the matter was subject to litigation.
All Manawatu¯ District councillors were also contacted and all but one said the same thing.
Councillor Steve Bielski said the case was in the hands of council management.
“First of all it’s a management matter, but as a councillor I’m voted in to represent the people of the Manawatu¯ District, my heart does go out to Lesley and George and the situation they are in,” he said. Bielski said he didn’t believe it was realistic for most people in such a situation to launch legal proceedings.
“I don’t know how many families . . . could actually do that [lead a court case].
“To me, there must be a better way of handling this that is fair and reasonable to both sides that there is accountability met, and goodwill and the law is met.”
With the days counting down to the start of George’s hunger strike on Monday, October 8, Griffiths, Thomas and many others in the community continued to hope the council would come to the table and negotiate a resolution.
— Milton Pedley