- Former Invercargill councillor Karen Arnold must clear her gorse-covered section after losing a dispute.
- Arnold blames gorse from Bluff Hill land, co-owned by the council and DOC.
- A panel ruled property owners must manage gorse on their own land.
A former Invercargill councillor has been ordered to clear her overgrown section after losing a dispute with the Invercargill City Council. Karen Arnold, who once served on the council, claimed the gorse on her Theodore Street, Bluff property originated from nearby land co-owned by the council and the Department of Conservation.
The vacant property had failed eight inspections since 2022. Arnold contested a December 2024 notice that required her to remove long grass and noxious plants within 60 days.
Arnold insisted the gorse and broom on her land were caused by Bluff Hill/Motupōhue, which sits behind her property. Despite her claims, the council maintained that gorse on the hill did not excuse its presence on her section.
The hearing panel agreed that gorse on boundary lines was problematic, but accepted the council had taken reasonable steps to address this. They concluded that responsibility for clearing gorse on private land ultimately rested with the property owner.
The dispute highlighted previous mistakes made by the council, including an incorrect bylaw notice issued in October 2022, which resulted in the council clearing Arnold's section at its own expense. The panel also noted that timing should have been considered before issuing the December 2024 notice.
In response to the decision, Arnold criticised the council, claiming it was “investigating itself and finding it’s not at fault.” She rejected the panel’s authority, citing the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act as the basis for her stance.
Council group manager Jonathan Shaw confirmed the council had followed its rules and obligations. He added that Bluff Hill/Motupōhue was managed in line with Southland Pest Hub guidelines, which recommend keeping gorse 10 metres from property boundaries.
An image from 2016 showed gorse had been spreading from a neighbouring private property rather than public land.
The hearing panel included councillors Darren Ludlow, Ria Bond, and Trish Boyle. Declarations were made noting past connections with Arnold, including Ludlow’s previous working relationship with her and Bond’s role as her former hair stylist.
Arnold previously served as a councillor in 2013 and 2016 before stepping down during her second term. In 2018, RNZ reported she had been declared bankrupt following a failed defamation case against Stuff and then-mayor Sir Tim Shadbolt.