Controversy sparked in Christchurch as Santa and his crew are required to wear seatbelts for the upcoming Christmas Show Parade. Some city councillors are calling it “woke nonsense” and expressing outrage at the new safety measures.
The parade, set to take place at Canterbury Agricultural Park, will see Santa and his helpers donning seatbelts for the first time. The decision was made following a health and safety audit that identified fall risks, prompting the installation of over 20 seatbelts and 30 safety bars on the floats.
Councillor Aaron Keown argued that while seatbelts may be necessary for high floats, they seem excessive for low, slow-moving ones. He stated, “If a float’s two foot off the ground and you’re doing three kilometres an hour, I don’t think the risk is overly high – you don’t have to have a seatbelt in your go-kart at home.”
Despite the backlash, parade director Jason Reekers defended the safety measures, emphasizing that he is responsible for any accidents and cannot ignore recommendations. He acknowledged the changing landscape of safety expectations and the importance of compliance.
While some questioned the necessity of seatbelts on floats, others like Upper Hutt Mayor Wayne Guppy emphasized the importance of common sense in ensuring safety without compromising the festive spirit of the parade.
As Christmas parades across the country adopt varying safety measures, Auckland’s Farmers Santa Parade will feature a mix of seatbelts for young participants and safety bars for additional support.
