The Central Otago District Council made a submission to the economic development, science and innovation select committee this week on the Self-Contained Motor Vehicle Legislation Bill. The Bill wants to improve the management of vehicle-based freedom camping by creating a regulatory system that central and local government can rely on to reduce the negative effects of freedom camping on communities and the environment.
The council feared the four camps around Lake Dunstan — Lowburn, Bendigo, Jacksons and Champagne Gully — would be closed by Land Information New Zealand (Linz) as Linz could no longer adequately fund them.
The council feared if that happened freedom campers would flood into Cromwell.
When contacted, Toitu Te Whenua Land Information New Zealand land and property manager Kate Whittle said Linz was not planning to close any of its responsible camping areas in Central .
Linz was aware of the submission made by the council but said it funded the maintenance of these sites.
"This includes cleaning the toilet facilities, rubbish removal, mowing, and vehicle counters. In the past CODC has secured funding from Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment [MBIE] to support us with management and monitoring of our sites over the busy summer period," she said.
"We will continue to work with CODC to retain these popular areas for the public to enjoy."
Council chief executive Sanchia Jacobs said in the past five years the council had secured funding from the MBIE to support Linz with management and monitoring of Linz sites in Central Otago over the busy summer period. That would continue this year. It also includes Pinders Pond near Roxburgh.
Ms Jacobs said it was not so much about the amount of funding as the mechanism and funding arrangements — how it was provided and by whom, to ensure it remained at the right level over time.
"There is complexity to how sites are managed, funded and enforced, and this needs to be taken into account in the proposed legislation," she said.
"An ideal outcome would be that the select committee ... ensure appropriate funding mechanisms are in place to easily manage freedom camping at these sites.
"We value our partnership with Linz and work effectively together to deliver on the sites around Lake Dunstan, something we will continue to do, to retain these popular areas for the public to enjoy."
