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The country’s biggest freedom camping club is seeking a High Court judicial review of the Queenstown Lakes District Council’s freedom camping bylaw.
New Zealand Motor Caravan Association (NZMCA) chief executive Bruce Lochore says the council’s bylaw review was a ‘‘complete sham’’, and showed ‘‘absolute contempt for proper process’’.
The Freedom Camping Act 2011 required the council to undertake a full review of its Freedom Camping Control bylaw, yet it ‘‘clearly hasn't done that’’, Mr Lochore said.
‘‘They've simply rolled over their existing bylaw and made it more prohibitive, without considering the impact on the vast majority of responsible campers.
‘‘The whole review and consultation process feels like a complete sham, further evidenced by Mayor Jim Boult announcing a preference for a total ban and the council advertising in their summer communication to visitors the new prohibited areas, prior to concluding the review.’’
The council has effectively banned responsible camping, yet has received $3.6 million in government funding for public infrastructure and projects aimed at responsible camping.
That includes funding for two camping hubs, and $2.4 million for eight new public toilets at responsible camping sites.
However, the hubs did not provide overnight camping for responsible campers, and the eight areas where the toilets were to be built prohibited camping, he said.
‘‘I think there's a very good case for clawback of the money the council has received to be redistributed to the neighbouring areas who will bear the brunt of Queenstown's decision.’’
The council approved the bylaw last Thursday.
Council communications spokesman Jack Barlow said it was ‘‘not banning camping’’, and the extensions to prohibited areas mostly covered townships and their immediate environs.
‘‘There is still plenty of room left for camping in a self-contained vehicle.’’
Funding from the Government’s Tourism Infrastructure Fund had been spent effectively, and the council had received ‘‘lots of positive feedback from the community’’, Mr Barlow said.
