$12k turf replacement bill

The 60-day occupation of Dunedin’s upper Octagon may have ended, but the costs are just being revealed. The protest ended before the city council-imposed deadline of midday on April 11, with the dozen protesters packing away their camping equipment and hoardings. The council had taken a hands-off approach to the protest, respecting the group’s right to protest. The protest was nullified when the Government announced the end of most vaccine mandates and the vaccine pass requirement. ‘‘It gets harder to justify an ongoing occupation in that context,’’ mayor Aaron Hawkins said after the protest group left the Octagon. Ratepayers would pick up the cost for repairing the turf, as it would be ‘‘overly antagonistic’’ to expect protesters to pay, Hawkins said at the time. Contractors have since started repairing the turf on the upper Octagon. The Dunedin City Council confirmed the cost to repair the lawn was $12,264.65, excluding GST. The amount was to be covered by ratepayers, a spokesperson said.