Changes to two Dunedin bylaws take effect today, informed by periods of public and stakeholder consultation over the past year.
The Beauty Therapists, Tattooists and Skin-Piercers Bylaw aims to protect public health and safety, and prevent the transfer of communicable diseases and bacterial skin infections through beauty therapy, tattooing and skin piercing practices.
“The amended bylaw adds a greater level of protection for the public and responds to current and emerging practices in the industry,” says Tanya Morrison, Team Leader Environmental Health and Alcohol Licensing.
Key changes include:
- A parent or legal guardian must be present during a skin-piercing or skin-penetration process for a person under 16 years (in addition to providing permission)
- A person must not tattoo anyone under 18 years of age
- A person must not pierce any nipple or genital area of anyone under 18 years of age
- Skin piercers and tattooists must complete bloodborne pathogen training
- Only a qualified ophthalmologist may administer eyeball tattooing
- Council may alter, suspend, or cancel a practitioner’s licence if licence conditions are being breached.
The updated bylaw is online at www.dunedin.govt.nz/beauticians-tattooists-and-skin-piercers
The Trading in Public Places Bylaw has also been updated. This bylaw regulates trading activities in public spaces to enhance public safety and protect against nuisances.
The trading activities included are street performing, street fundraising, mobile trading, commercial use of footpaths, rental scheme operators (such as e-scooter companies) and tour operators.
“The community feedback indicated this bylaw is working well, so only minor amendments have been made,” says Bonnie Wright, Compliance Solutions Manager.
These include:
- Greater clarity around the nature and scope of trading activities and conditions in the bylaw
- Removing reference to oral permissions for permits, as only written permissions are now provided
- Changing ‘pedestrian access’ to ‘footpath access’ in acknowledgement that not all footpath users are pedestrians.
The updated bylaw is online at www.dunedin.govt.nz/trading-in-public-places