New rules for freedom campers have been approved by the Dunedin City Council, but without a blunt warning to tourists.
Councillors at Monday's full council meeting opted to approve the council's new ''responsible'' camping policy and bylaw, which eased restrictions across the city introduced before the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
However, Fliss Butcher's push to add a blunt warning about defecating in public to the top of a new freedom camping brochure was defeated, after other councillors turned their nose up at the idea.
Cr Butcher, a member of the hearings subcommittee, told her colleagues some tourists were ''pooing on Otago'' while on their travels.
Submitters had expressed concern, including one Macandrew Bay resident who discovered a tourist defecating in his garden one morning, and Cr Butcher said a blunt message should be sent.
She wanted the words ''Don't poo on Otago'' added to the top of the brochure as a ''radical, in-your-face way of saying 'stop doing it'.''
''This is a real problem. It's not going to go away by just pretending it's not happening. It is happening.''
Other councillors began to chortle as Kate Wilson expressed concern at the wording and declined to be the resolution's seconder.
Mayor Dave Cull couldn't resist: ''You don't want poo in your motion?'' he inquired casually.
As Cr Wilson shook her head, Neil Collins suggested a more diplomatic use of the word ''defecate'' instead, but also got nowhere.
The puns continued until John Bezett sniffed: ''I just don't like it. To me, it's undignified.''
Cr Butcher's move was eventually defeated, and councillors then voted to approve the rest of the policy.
The new approach would allow up to three self-contained camper vans - those with toilets on board - to stay on sealed areas of reserves and other public land for up to three nights.
That eased an earlier restriction, introduced in 2011, which prevented more than two selfcontained camper vans within 50m of each other.
Those without toilets on board would also be able to stay in one of three designated areas next to public toilets at Macandrew Bay, Ocean View and Warrington reserve.
