Auckland Council has admitted it failed a family for more than a generation and promises to do better basic groundskeeping on all plots in its Manukau Memorial Gardens cemetery.
Rob De Lacey has visited monthly since the mid-90s with his mower and has only left it in the car boot once, when he found the grass short enough that it met the council’s standard.
"I just get so disappointed because it looks like such a bloody mess," De Lacey told Fair Go.
For years, he would fume at the Council as he mowed the family plot; time he should have been able to spend in quiet contemplation.
"Millie's my late wife. She died from an asthma attack back in '93. My son and his mum were very close, and he decided to take his own life in '97," he said.
De Lacey's mother and mother-in-law both died in their 80s of natural causes and share the family plots.
"We've sort of kept them all together, as you do."
De Lacey’s wife, son and mother-in-law, who were all Niuean, were laid to rest in what's called the "decorated" section.
It's not an easy place to mow. It's an area popular with Pasifika families, because in this part the rules allow them to really make a statement, but should that let the council off its obligation to keep the place tidy?
Families with loved ones at council cemeteries have paid in advance for perpetual maintenance as a part of their contract fee. Under the Consumer Guarantees Act a service must be performed with reasonable care and skill. When Fair Go first visited, the mowing team had just come, cut and left De Lacey’s row undone yet again.
De Lacey says he has listened as other families visiting their loved ones in nearby plots voice their frustration as he mowed theirs too. He persistently complained to Auckland Council and its predecessors - auare ake - to no avail.
Until now, when Fair Go took up De Lacey’s cause. Within days a crew had done a rough cut, then back for a smoothing over, then yet more smoothing over from the council’s Mark Miller, who visited to apologise to De Lacey in person.
"Clearly, we haven't got it right in this case," Miller, who oversees Auckland Council’s 53 cemeteries and crematoria, told Fair Go.
"We got it wrong and I'm just really pleased to be able to speak to Mr De Lacey and confirm that we'll get it right moving forward.
"Moving forward, we'll make sure that we'll be maintaining this to an appropriate standard."
He can’t comment on why the problems persisted - he’s only had the job since June.
De Lacey is content - if the Council keeps this promise. He says Millie liked a nicely-mowed lawn and now he can sit at her graveside and enjoy it – resting in peace.
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