Apology after library room rights backlash

A self-proclaimed child protection group have been given an apology after their bid to rent space in the public library was blocked.

Let Kids Be Kids had hoped to hold a public meeting at Marlborough Library Te Kahu o Waipuna recently.

But after council rejected their application on the grounds of compliance, the group hit back, with lawyers becoming involved.

Marlborough Mayor Nadine Taylor has since written a letter of apology to a local representative of the group, David Pigou.

A Council spokesperson says the decision was made not to allow a booking of a new library meeting room by Let Kids Be Kids (LKBK) due to concerns about compliance with Council’s booking policy.

“A decision was made following a complaint by LKBK and the Free Speech Union (FSU),” the spokesperson says.

“Council’s chief executive and senior staff reviewed the decision, accepted it was wrong and offered the opportunity for the group to rebook.

“We also agreed to review and amend our policy and to utilise the FSU for staff training.  An apology has been given to the LKBK.”

Let Kids Be Kids is a nationwide organisation which, according to their website, “informs and empowers” parents.

It encourages parents and caregivers to ask schools about how Relationship & Sexuality Education (RSE) is being taught.

Among their concerns are multiple gender identities being taught without consent, the use of pronouns and how schools chose to celebrate Pink Shirt Day and Pride Week.

David says the organisation is not a protest group and he was shocked when council initially rejected their bid to hire a room.

Under their meeting room hire agreement, which is now being reviewed, council stated; ‘meeting rooms are not available for hire to host events that promote discrimination on any basis, including: identity, race, ethnicity, disability, gender, class religion, or types of family.’

In an email to council, FSU lawyer Jonathan Ayling says the union believes Council acted illegally to ratepayers and their policy is “clearly flawed.”

“…it seems incredible that seemingly solely off the group’s title, a staff member would feel emboldened/possibly even required to exclude a group.

Council say they are committed to ensuring public facilities are accessible to all community groups and individuals.

A spokesperson says the rights to freedom of expression and assembly are protected by law.

“That means we must maintain a distinction between carrying out a public function (hiring venues or granting permits) and expressing our Council values (striving to ensure people know that we stand for diversity and inclusion).

“The Courts have been very clear that it is a distinction we must maintain and that we are legally obliged to manage our venues in a non-discriminatory manner, i.e. we do not take a position on the views of the hirer.”

LKBK was offered an alternate date to hold a public meeting, but no date has yet been set.