Gary Caffell: Masterton mayor on six people getting arrested at boy racer meet in Wairarapa

The long weekend's brought the worst out of boy racers.

Six people were arrested in Wairarapa, with fireworks, bottles, and rocks all hurled at Police.

The Government's already hinted tougher legislation could be on the way, which can't come soon enough for those who've had a gutsful.

Masterton mayor Gary Caffell told Tim Beveridge the gatherings are getting worse and worse.

“Unless the Government is willing to really get tough on these people, then we’re in a lot of trouble because somebody’s going to get killed. There’s no question about that.”

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:09):
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Speaker 2 (00:16):
Yes on. The long weekend has brought out the best
in boy races. I think the worst. I say that psycastically,
of course, the best fireworks bottles rocks all hurled at police,
leading to six arrests in wider Upper The government's already
hinted tougher legislation could be on the way, legislation that
probably can't come soon enough for those of at a

(00:36):
guts full of that, and that would probably be a
large section of us all around New Zealand. Masterton Mayor
Gary cafful joins me. Now, Gary, good.

Speaker 3 (00:45):
Morning, good morning, good morning.

Speaker 2 (00:48):
So these gatherings getting worse and worse.

Speaker 3 (00:52):
Yeah, it looks they seem to be all over the country,
don't they really, we've been I guess you could say
lucky in Marsterdon and that we haven't had one before
so close to the town. But it was really gut
wrenching to hear of the latest one. And look, I
agree with you totally. And unless the government is willing

(01:13):
to really get tough on these people, then you know
we're in a lot of trouble because somebody's going to
get killed, there's no question about that.

Speaker 2 (01:20):
Well, I've always seen that one of them got a
boy racer, one's got a serious injury a while ago.
It's actually, are these boy racers sort of local? Are
they coming in from outside? What do you know about it?

Speaker 3 (01:32):
Well, I talked to police yesterday. I talked to police
and express why support, total support for what they're doing.
I was told that this latest slot they were from
all over the place, from Taranaki, Manuwatu, Hawks Bay, Wellington.
It wasn't it wasn't to buy any means, just to
whire wrapper meat. They were from all over the place.

Speaker 2 (01:53):
What's been the reaction from within the community? How sick
of people of this?

Speaker 3 (01:58):
I'm really sick of it. And I think one I've
shocked down here and then Marsden because as I say, where,
you know, we like to think of ourselves as a
friendly town and wealth and people and you know we're
part of welcoming communities and all that sort of thing,
and so for something like this to happen, it's just
a hell of a shock and for me, really gut
wrenching because it doesn't it doesn't tell people what marter

(02:20):
is about, and that it's just something that we've got
to get rid of.

Speaker 2 (02:25):
The government, as you mentioned, is a hinted at new legislation.
What is logical? What could work?

Speaker 3 (02:31):
From your perspective, Well, talking to the police yesterday, you know,
it's interesting. I think I think that certainly infringement notices
and then hefty fines for people who are involved, I
think cars being taken away. But the other the other
problem that was crowded here was by actually by spectators,
by people who were there who seemingly in support of

(02:52):
those who those who were causing the anti social behavior.
And I know that they're creating a problem for police
as well, and it maybe that they need to be
looked at as well because they're basically complicit and what's
being done.

Speaker 2 (03:04):
Yeah, how are police fearing after the latest incident?

Speaker 3 (03:09):
Look, I mean police are there. They have to do
they know they've got to do a job, they've got
to uphold the law. But I think they're a bit like,
a bit like everybody, a bit gutted. I think they
got caught, preps got caught by surprise at the at
the what happened here in terms of people to the
whole thing turning really sour. But yeah, they're disappointed then,

(03:30):
but they're determined and one of the one of the
message I got upon them very clearly was that they're
determined to break this up to and to uphold the law.

Speaker 2 (03:38):
Meanwhile, how much of a cleanup have you got on
your hands after these things? I guess the marks are
there on the road for a while, aren't they.

Speaker 3 (03:43):
Yeah, the marks will be on the road for a while.
And also, you know, I guess there's glass and whatever around.
There's a there's always a clean up. But the real
I guess the real cleanup is getting getting used to
the idea that this actually happened to you.

Speaker 2 (04:00):
Yeah, how bad do you think it could get if
we don't get on top of us.

Speaker 3 (04:04):
Look, it seems to be doesn't know, it seems to
be just expanding. So we have to. I'm really encouraged
by the words from the police Minister Mark Mitchell that
he is going to get really tough because if we
don't do that, so I say, there's going to be
this and you know, things are going to get just
totally out of hand.

Speaker 2 (04:21):
Yeah, Hey, Gary, best of Like, I really appreciate you
taking the time to join us this morning.

Speaker 3 (04:25):
Well, I appreciate you cool, thank you so much.

Speaker 2 (04:27):
There we go. That's very careful. He is Masters and mayor.

Speaker 1 (04:30):
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