1 00:00:09,093 --> 00:00:12,693 Speaker 1: You're listening to a podcast from News Talks'd be follow 2 00:00:12,773 --> 00:00:16,173 Speaker 1: this and our wide range of podcasts now on iHeartRadio. 3 00:00:16,613 --> 00:00:19,013 Speaker 2: I much love Flying Fox and pata butter Umu has 4 00:00:19,093 --> 00:00:22,053 Speaker 2: been shut down by the council over safety concerns. Has 5 00:00:22,133 --> 00:00:24,653 Speaker 2: risk adversion killed the fun? Joining us right now is 6 00:00:24,692 --> 00:00:28,733 Speaker 2: patapata Umu Community Board chair Glenn Olsen. Glenn, very good 7 00:00:28,732 --> 00:00:29,253 Speaker 2: afternoon to you. 8 00:00:30,213 --> 00:00:31,693 Speaker 3: Hey, good afternoon everybody. 9 00:00:32,173 --> 00:00:34,573 Speaker 4: Hey Glenn, how good was this flying Fox? Was it fast? 10 00:00:35,773 --> 00:00:38,853 Speaker 3: It was? It was fantastic. It was fast, it was long, 11 00:00:38,933 --> 00:00:41,172 Speaker 3: and you know, it was exciting and it had a 12 00:00:41,173 --> 00:00:44,293 Speaker 3: frill that you know known other of the firing foxes 13 00:00:44,293 --> 00:00:45,333 Speaker 3: in the area. 14 00:00:45,533 --> 00:00:47,693 Speaker 4: How long was it around for Glenn? 15 00:00:47,973 --> 00:00:51,092 Speaker 3: Well, I believe it's been there for about thirty years, 16 00:00:51,173 --> 00:00:53,093 Speaker 3: so it's you know, it's been there for a long time. 17 00:00:53,132 --> 00:00:55,333 Speaker 3: So it means that you know, not only the children, 18 00:00:55,373 --> 00:00:57,653 Speaker 3: but a lot of their parents used to write it 19 00:00:57,693 --> 00:00:58,933 Speaker 3: when they were children as well. 20 00:00:59,093 --> 00:01:00,892 Speaker 4: A lot of dead bodies piling up at the end 21 00:01:00,893 --> 00:01:01,173 Speaker 4: of it. 22 00:01:02,333 --> 00:01:04,773 Speaker 3: Not very many at all, No, No, I mean I 23 00:01:04,813 --> 00:01:08,253 Speaker 3: haven't heard of any injuries, you know, from this flying 24 00:01:08,653 --> 00:01:10,212 Speaker 3: and all the time that's there, and you know, I 25 00:01:10,253 --> 00:01:12,573 Speaker 3: grew up here and you know, went on it and 26 00:01:12,613 --> 00:01:15,292 Speaker 3: you know, although you know occasionally you fall off, you know, 27 00:01:15,453 --> 00:01:17,333 Speaker 3: you laugh it off, you get up and you run 28 00:01:17,373 --> 00:01:18,853 Speaker 3: back and go on it again. 29 00:01:19,013 --> 00:01:19,293 Speaker 4: Yeah. 30 00:01:19,292 --> 00:01:21,693 Speaker 2: So you've got kids yourself, Glenn, who are peak flying 31 00:01:21,733 --> 00:01:25,053 Speaker 2: Fox age. They must be pretty disappointed they can't have 32 00:01:25,093 --> 00:01:26,012 Speaker 2: a hoon on this thing. 33 00:01:26,973 --> 00:01:30,333 Speaker 3: They are. Yes, So I've got three boys six, nine 34 00:01:30,333 --> 00:01:32,893 Speaker 3: and just about eleven, and all of them have you know, 35 00:01:32,973 --> 00:01:36,333 Speaker 3: spent countless time on this as Also there's a Scouts 36 00:01:36,333 --> 00:01:37,773 Speaker 3: fall right next to it, so of course you get 37 00:01:37,813 --> 00:01:42,653 Speaker 3: all Scouts children there who love it as well. So yeah, 38 00:01:42,733 --> 00:01:44,932 Speaker 3: and as I said, you know, it's just got something 39 00:01:44,973 --> 00:01:46,653 Speaker 3: that none of the upp flying Fox is here. It's 40 00:01:46,693 --> 00:01:48,973 Speaker 3: the only flying fox we have where children just want 41 00:01:49,013 --> 00:01:50,413 Speaker 3: to go on it again and again. 42 00:01:50,853 --> 00:01:53,173 Speaker 4: So who shut it down and what led to it 43 00:01:53,213 --> 00:01:54,373 Speaker 4: being shut down, Glenn. 44 00:01:55,333 --> 00:01:59,213 Speaker 3: So it was shut down by our parks team and 45 00:01:59,533 --> 00:02:01,933 Speaker 3: basically they did a safety check and they found that 46 00:02:01,973 --> 00:02:05,173 Speaker 3: the cable was free. So the first that the community 47 00:02:05,253 --> 00:02:07,413 Speaker 3: knew was they went down there to riders and they 48 00:02:07,413 --> 00:02:09,413 Speaker 3: had a padlock on it and a note on it 49 00:02:09,533 --> 00:02:14,413 Speaker 3: saying closed. And the community actually put a post up 50 00:02:14,413 --> 00:02:16,413 Speaker 3: on one of the local Facebook groups, and that was 51 00:02:16,933 --> 00:02:20,293 Speaker 3: also the first that we're on the community board found 52 00:02:20,293 --> 00:02:20,853 Speaker 3: out about it. 53 00:02:21,532 --> 00:02:25,813 Speaker 4: So the cables freight, but they're not willing to replace 54 00:02:25,893 --> 00:02:26,533 Speaker 4: the cable. 55 00:02:28,093 --> 00:02:31,013 Speaker 3: Well that's that's the issue. The issue is that if 56 00:02:31,013 --> 00:02:35,213 Speaker 3: they replace the cable now, as part of that, they 57 00:02:35,252 --> 00:02:39,493 Speaker 3: have to certify that it meets the late latest safety standards. 58 00:02:40,493 --> 00:02:42,373 Speaker 4: And who's setting those safety standards? 59 00:02:42,453 --> 00:02:45,813 Speaker 3: So my understanding that they come from central government work 60 00:02:45,813 --> 00:02:49,813 Speaker 3: in safety standards and you know, they are the standards 61 00:02:49,853 --> 00:02:54,813 Speaker 3: that the Council needs to abide to without doing so 62 00:02:54,933 --> 00:02:57,053 Speaker 3: if there you know, even though there hasn't been any 63 00:02:57,093 --> 00:03:00,173 Speaker 3: major injuries, if there was a major engined injury and 64 00:03:00,413 --> 00:03:02,732 Speaker 3: work and safety got involved, the first thing they would 65 00:03:02,773 --> 00:03:05,933 Speaker 3: want to know is why these rules weren't the regulations 66 00:03:05,933 --> 00:03:07,413 Speaker 3: weren't followed from the council. 67 00:03:07,693 --> 00:03:11,252 Speaker 4: Well, I mean that's a insane because obviously kids need 68 00:03:11,293 --> 00:03:13,413 Speaker 4: to be on flying foxes. Well they need to be 69 00:03:13,453 --> 00:03:15,933 Speaker 4: making you know, learning risk and reward basically, and a 70 00:03:15,972 --> 00:03:18,972 Speaker 4: flying fox is a great a decent flying fox with 71 00:03:19,053 --> 00:03:21,853 Speaker 4: a bit of pace. It teaches you some valuable lessons 72 00:03:21,972 --> 00:03:23,813 Speaker 4: as a kid. As you say, Glen, you'll fall off, 73 00:03:23,853 --> 00:03:28,012 Speaker 4: but you'll learn some lessons there so is it possible 74 00:03:28,013 --> 00:03:31,773 Speaker 4: to unravel this? This sounds like it is deeply embedded 75 00:03:32,053 --> 00:03:34,533 Speaker 4: in you know, central and local government. 76 00:03:36,533 --> 00:03:39,053 Speaker 3: It is. So look what's going to happen here. You know, 77 00:03:39,773 --> 00:03:44,173 Speaker 3: we will get a new flying fox. And what happened 78 00:03:44,333 --> 00:03:46,093 Speaker 3: was we had all the children come to our board 79 00:03:46,133 --> 00:03:49,293 Speaker 3: meeting and they all spoke, and they spoke on what 80 00:03:49,453 --> 00:03:52,133 Speaker 3: made this flying fox so important to them? And what 81 00:03:52,253 --> 00:03:54,573 Speaker 3: was great was it was our last meeting and we 82 00:03:54,613 --> 00:03:57,013 Speaker 3: had both the Mayor and the See of the Council 83 00:03:57,093 --> 00:04:00,893 Speaker 3: there and so I brought that memories of our sea's 84 00:04:00,973 --> 00:04:04,253 Speaker 3: own childhood and the flying fop. So the commitment that 85 00:04:04,333 --> 00:04:06,573 Speaker 3: He's given to the children as a result of this 86 00:04:06,733 --> 00:04:10,053 Speaker 3: is that we will get them most exciting and throwing 87 00:04:10,213 --> 00:04:14,093 Speaker 3: and dane jurists, you know, to an extend flying fox 88 00:04:14,133 --> 00:04:17,653 Speaker 3: that we can put back, which still meets the standards 89 00:04:17,693 --> 00:04:18,853 Speaker 3: that you know we need to follow. 90 00:04:19,133 --> 00:04:21,773 Speaker 4: But are those standards because I've seen the new flying 91 00:04:21,773 --> 00:04:25,453 Speaker 4: foxes that have been put in to replace previous ones, 92 00:04:26,173 --> 00:04:28,413 Speaker 4: and there's a particular one I'm thinking about that is 93 00:04:28,453 --> 00:04:31,333 Speaker 4: so pathetic. I've never seen a kid on it, whereas 94 00:04:31,373 --> 00:04:33,493 Speaker 4: a good flying fox the kids line up to it 95 00:04:33,493 --> 00:04:35,213 Speaker 4: and they're sprinting back up to the top to do 96 00:04:35,293 --> 00:04:36,933 Speaker 4: it because of the risk factor of it and the 97 00:04:36,973 --> 00:04:39,893 Speaker 4: excitement factor of it. But if the flying foxes that 98 00:04:39,933 --> 00:04:41,773 Speaker 4: I'm seeing that have been put in are the ones 99 00:04:41,853 --> 00:04:44,493 Speaker 4: that fit the safety standards that they need to, then 100 00:04:44,613 --> 00:04:46,573 Speaker 4: the kids aren't. They may have a flying fox, but 101 00:04:46,613 --> 00:04:48,333 Speaker 4: it's not a flying fox. And the way we think of. 102 00:04:48,333 --> 00:04:53,493 Speaker 3: It, yeah, I mean there's two flying foxes I can 103 00:04:53,533 --> 00:04:56,973 Speaker 3: think of close by another areas where where the children 104 00:04:57,013 --> 00:04:59,173 Speaker 3: do love and they you know my children as well. 105 00:04:59,573 --> 00:05:02,093 Speaker 3: There's one in an Avalon Park which are open a 106 00:05:02,093 --> 00:05:04,813 Speaker 3: few years ago, and that has two side by side 107 00:05:04,853 --> 00:05:07,933 Speaker 3: so they can actually have racists down them, and you know, 108 00:05:07,973 --> 00:05:11,053 Speaker 3: the kid love that. And it's you know, it's high 109 00:05:11,173 --> 00:05:13,613 Speaker 3: enough up there that gives you know a little bit 110 00:05:13,653 --> 00:05:17,333 Speaker 3: of a scare for them, but and fast enough that 111 00:05:17,453 --> 00:05:19,773 Speaker 3: you know, when they hit the back of it, you 112 00:05:19,853 --> 00:05:21,853 Speaker 3: have it aware and it gives you the pinion jumps 113 00:05:21,933 --> 00:05:22,493 Speaker 3: you up in the. 114 00:05:22,413 --> 00:05:24,773 Speaker 4: Air, which is crucial, crucial dreams. 115 00:05:24,813 --> 00:05:28,893 Speaker 2: And yeah, yeah, Glenn, yeah, thank you very much for 116 00:05:28,893 --> 00:05:30,653 Speaker 2: having a chat with us. Keep up the good fight. 117 00:05:30,733 --> 00:05:32,613 Speaker 2: We might touch base in a few weeks and see 118 00:05:32,613 --> 00:05:35,013 Speaker 2: where you're at. But really hoping this new Flying Fox, 119 00:05:35,053 --> 00:05:38,333 Speaker 2: if it does happen, is still thrilling fast and kick us. 120 00:05:38,413 --> 00:05:40,813 Speaker 4: Yeah where Yeah, we're willing to come down and do 121 00:05:40,853 --> 00:05:43,733 Speaker 4: a danger inspection, like there's safety inspections and see if 122 00:05:43,733 --> 00:05:46,493 Speaker 4: it hits the safety standards. But there's another kind of 123 00:05:46,493 --> 00:05:48,893 Speaker 4: inspection do and check if it hits the danger standards 124 00:05:48,933 --> 00:05:49,773 Speaker 4: that also needs to hit. 125 00:05:49,893 --> 00:05:50,613 Speaker 2: Yep, we can do that. 126 00:05:51,693 --> 00:05:53,773 Speaker 3: No, that's right, and don't worry. I'll be one of 127 00:05:53,813 --> 00:05:55,893 Speaker 3: the first time as well, because I was on a 128 00:05:56,053 --> 00:05:58,893 Speaker 3: not that long ago and you know, I really enjoyed 129 00:05:58,893 --> 00:05:59,373 Speaker 3: it as well. 130 00:05:59,693 --> 00:06:01,733 Speaker 4: Good on you, Glenn, Thank you, thank you for talking 131 00:06:01,733 --> 00:06:02,253 Speaker 4: to us today. 132 00:06:02,533 --> 00:06:05,093 Speaker 2: Thank you very much. That is Glenn Olsen. He's the 133 00:06:05,773 --> 00:06:08,693 Speaker 2: UMU Community Board chair and clearly loves his Flying Fox 134 00:06:08,773 --> 00:06:09,253 Speaker 2: is good Man. 135 00:06:09,773 --> 00:06:12,733 Speaker 1: For more from Newstalk st B, listen live on air 136 00:06:12,893 --> 00:06:15,613 Speaker 1: or online, and keep our shows with you wherever you 137 00:06:15,693 --> 00:06:18,093 Speaker 1: go with our podcasts on iHeartRadio.