The future of public fireworks displays in Dunedin’s Octagon may become clearer this month.
The Dunedin City Council says a report on the issue will be completed late this month after New Year’s fireworks on January 1 ended in Dunedin man Wayne Boss being seriously injured after he was struck in the right eye by what was believed to be burning fireworks fragments.
The city’s Midwinter Carnival also found itself caught up in the fallout from that event, meaning it was unable to have its usual fireworks last weekend.
Asked about the future of public fireworks events in the city, council community development and events manager Joy Gunn said her team was putting together a report with recommendations around fireworks displays for council-run events, and other events in the city.
"A number of options will be included in the report," she said.
The report would be provided to the council’s health and safety board in late July.
"One of the options is continuing to hold a display above the Octagon."
Any planning for future events involving fireworks would require the council and its contractors completing an application for a certificate from WorkSafe New Zealand. WorkSafe this week said the New Year’s incident was still under investigation.
Dunedin Midwinter Carnival event manager Keir Russell said the event was given an option by the council to make a special request for its fireworks, which launch from the Civic Centre roof like the New Year’s display.
But the regular contractor for fireworks display did not want to do the job until the investigations were complete, and no other contractor had gone through the lengthy process of health and safety procedures.
"We could not find a contractor willing to go through those processes for what could be a one-off event, or may not even happen."
Mr Russell said the Midwinter Carnival "absolutely" wanted to have fireworks from the Civic Centre roof again next year, perhaps with alterations following the investigations.
"It’s all down to WorkSafe now."
In March, the council said its investigation into the matter found there was insufficient evidence as to whether a firework from the council-organised display caused the injury, or whether it was let off by a member of the public.
