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Accusations just ‘rumours’, Gore camp operator says

Gore Motor Camp. Image: Google Maps
Gore Motor Camp. Image: Google Maps
The operator of the Gore Motor Camp has rejected accusations the camp has an unsafe environment and has been taken over by gangs, saying he runs a safe camp and people in Gore have nothing better to do than just create rumours.

An anonymous email sent to the Otago Daily Times at the weekend said the camping ground had been transformed into a taxpayer-funded gang pad.

Social emergency housing funds were being used to pay for the accommodation of multiple Mongrel Mob members and associates, the email said.

People were feeling unsafe and were intimidated by people who lived in the camp.

Drug use was said to be rife and the situation was getting worse on a daily basis.

The email questioned why local authorities did not take action and suggested they must know what was going on.

When contacted, Gore Motor Camp operator Nicholas Irons said a lot of what had been talked about was 100% garbage.

"The rumours have been going for the last seven to eight years. It is Gore - that is what happens. They just fuel the rumours - they have got nothing better to do," he said.

Southland area commander Mike Bowman said in a statement that police communicated with the Gore District Council on a regular basis and concerns regarding the camping ground were informally raised with them in August of last year.

Police met with representatives from the council in January this year, amid ongoing reports of unsafe driving and anti-social behaviour at the camping ground.

Police were continuing to work closely with the council and other partners to ensure the safety of those who were living in or visiting the camp.

"We continue to encourage anyone with concerns to contact police," he said.

He did not say how many times police were called to the camp but media reported police had been to the camp 16 times in the past 14 months.

Mr Irons said many of those police visits were just bail checks, and many police visits which were reported as family harm incidents were police simply checking up on someone who had applied for and been awarded a protection order.

Local police did not have a problem, and he was providing accommodation to people who simply had nowhere else to go.

He had taken over the running of the camp from July last year.

"None of them have gone to the council to complain. Nothing formally. It is just informal gossip."

He had up to 20 workers in the camping ground who were contracted at the construction of a wind farm at Karat Downs.

"I’m providing a service. There is no accommodation in Gore. If I am not doing that, there would be nowhere for people to stay and the town misses out."

It was hard to distinguish who were staying there as Ministry of Social Development clients, but it was no more than two to five people. Emergency housing clients were not encouraged, he said.

Occupancy was between 85%-90%, which any accommodation business would be jealous of, he said.

No-one was allowed in with gang patches and it was not in his interest to gain a bad reputation.

Most of the time police visited it was to find someone who was not even staying in the camp, and many of the police visits were carried out before he took over last July, he said.

Gore District Council chief executive Steve Parry said in a statement the council had been working closely with the lessee.

"We are confident he is committed to making the camp safe for visitors, and we have seen some encouraging signs in this regard in recent weeks," Mr Parry said.

 


 

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