Face of the Day

A muso who used a disability park in Arrowtown to unload heavy gear is voicing concerns over council’s handling of his case.

Nic Shea understands parking in a disabled park’s not OK, but says he couldn’t find a park near Blue Door to offload his musical equipment, and there wasn’t a loading zone nearby.

He maintains he only pulled in halfway with his hazard lights on and engine still running, and was there no longer than five minutes.

“I don’t see it as parking so much as I was unloading.

“I had no intention of harming disabled people in the community, I was there to actually bring joy and happiness.”

Shea was mortified to be fined $750 for his troubles – a fine the government raised from $150 last October. When he pleaded his case with a council staffer, he was not only unsuccessful but, when he said he didn’t have $750 at his disposal, he was told he couldn’t set up a payment plan. He’d have to go through the court system if he wanted to pay in installments – “but then you have court fees on top”. [...]

“I’ll pay $750 if it goes to the disabled community or it goes to a rest-home or somebody that needs it, not to the council.”