Stricter freedom camping rules called for

Photo: ODT files
PHOTO: ODT FILES
Waitaki residents have challenged the council to be "bold" and "transformative" on freedom camping.

The Waitaki District Council held hearings yesterday as part of its responsible freedom camping bylaw review, following a month-long public consultation period.

The 2016 bylaw is under review as required under the Local Government Act for new bylaws after five years.

Submitters’ main concerns regarded the need for stricter rules in the Ahuriri ward and at the Kakanui River mouth, and fire risks at Lake Ohau.

Lake Benmore Holiday Park owners Bob and Mary Fulton dealt with freedom campers trying to sneak into their facility for free.

There were suggestions for "pop-up" freedom camping areas, but Mr Fulton said they believed ratepayers should not be subsiding freedom camping, and as international tourism was at a halt, it was the prime time to look at solutions for long-term change.

"My issue is that as a ratepayer, I guess I have a philosophical point of view that there shouldn’t be a free lunch — and there is a free lunch there," Mr Fulton said.

Mrs Fulton said all campers should be treated fairly and the council should investigate charging fees for waste-dump and rubbish stations for freedom campers.

Protecting the environment of the entire district was vital too.

"The desirable features of the valley ... are reduced by having permissive freedom camping rules."

Cr Melanie Tavendale said ratepayers already subsidised camping at the Waitaki Valley Lakes, and questioned if freedom camping sites would "outweigh" the economic benefits freedom campers brought to the district.

Kakanui Ratepayers and Improvement Society chairman Lindsey Rusbatch also called for tighter restrictions in Kakanui to protect the wildlife in the area.

A decision on the bylaw review is scheduled to be made at a council meeting on October 5.

kayla.hodge@odt.co.nz

 

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So you asked a guy who owns a camping ground about freedom camping lol. All of them want freedom camping gone ofcourse.
Just dont forget thats your grankids or kids in a tent out the river etc gone too!
& thats a right of passage in nz, we all did that with mum & dad as kids at xmas time!

Nz has gone crazy with leading the world in pc. Just stay inside on the couch & you should be ok with current nz legislation.

Holiday park owners have never really had freedom campers as a customer base and should be thankful for those freedom campers that do attend their parks for 1-2 nights a week. Meantime freedom camper s will continue to spent the money saved on accommodation on attractions and activities - which is after all what draws people to an area and as such are a core need even for holiday parks survival.

The ability for Councils to limit freedom camping to only those with RV's certified to the NZStandard 5465 has now been proven to be non-compliant with our Bill of Rights Act. Waitaki Council was given the opportunity to prove in a Law Court their Bylaws using that as a restriction were compliant- however they declined to take it that far - even after receiving legal advice from LGNZ. That standard also by default allows Councils to determine which campers it caters to - which is also non-compliant with the Freedom Camping Act. RCAi has offered Council the ability to sit down and work on solutions applicable to all freedom campers (not just those in RVs) as we have to all Councils and stakeholders, however to date they have not taken up that offer. Meantime non-compliant Bylaws will continue to get challenged in Law Courts.

Exactly!

Long overdue... again ban Freedom camping once and for all.

Ban everthing!.. & stay inside. Did you ever spend a night in a tent or caravan at the lakes, beach or out the river etc etc as a kid ? Bet you did..well thats gone if you ban this too.
But that wont effect you as your not a kid anymore so suits you. What about your kids or grand kids.
Like the virus try to think of others & their situations..na who cares about others aye

Fortunately it can not be banned. it was well established as a 'right' during the Freedom Camping Bill by the Attorney General himself. https://www.justice.govt.nz/assets/Documents/Publications/bora-Freedom-C... Since the Human Rights Commission has also clarified the very stringent criteria needed to restrict a 'right', Best advice to you and your kind, is to accept what you can not change, but lets all work together towards making it a better experience for everyone. #RCAi

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