WINZ ciggy break fury

A store manager is fed up Work and Income staff employees won't stop smoking right outside his shop.

DC and Quiksilver New Brighton Factory Outlet manager Nick Mooney says he has pleaded for four years with Work and Income New Brighton managers to stop their staff from smoking and littering outside his shop.

WINZ staff smoke there because they are not allowed to outside their own building, he says.

"Staff aren't allowed to smoke outside their building so they pile out four to five times a day and smoke outside my shop and dump their cigarette butts into the bark or on the pavement," he said.

"It's not just staff either, it is also their clients."

Mr Mooney said after he speaks to WINZ managers, staff behave themselve for a month or so and then it starts up again.

"It should be part of their compulsory uniform that they wear an ashtray on their belt," he said.

"On three or four occassions I've approached about half a dozen of their staff and their reaction has never been sorry.

"It's been quite snarky like 'you can't say it's our cigarette butts'.

"I've made their manager put on rubber gloves and go out there and pick them out of the garden," he said.

On Thursday, after inquiries by the Pegasus Post, Ministry of Social Development regional commissioner John Henderson said he would make it clear to staff that they are not to smoke outside Mr Mooney's shops.

"We'll make it clear to all staff that they must not smoke outside the shop in future and are sorry that some have failed to heed requests for them to smoke elsewhere," he said.

Mr Henderson said the service centre manager has apologised to Mr Mooney and given him reassurances that staff will not smoke outside his shop in future.

Mr Henderson said permanent staff at the New Brighton office do use the designated smoking area, but said other staff attending the service centre's training have not done so.

Mr Mooney said WINZ staff also go across the road to the corner of Beresford St and Oram Ave and flick their butts into the new sandpit installed by Lincoln University students.

"They go across the road to the carpark or the the Greening the Rubble site and throw them into the sand where the kids play," he said.

With the New Brighton Mall struggling post earthquake, Mr Mooney said it was important for business investment that it remains attractive.