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Joint Media Statement from Local Government New Zealand Zone 5 & Zone 6 Chairs

Wednesday 19 March 2008

Sticker system proposed to combat freedom camping pollution

South Island local authorities have thrown their support behind a proposal to introduce a mandatory system using coloured stickers to identify campervan waste storage systems.

The proposal aims to cut down on pollution caused by freedom campers who do not have onboard storage facilities for grey water and toilet waste. With the growing popularity of freedom camping in recent years, local authorities have become increasingly concerned about potential health and environmental risks.

At recent meetings of Local Government New Zealand’s Zone 5 (membership of Canterbury/West Coast/Nelson-Tasman local authorities) and Zone 6 (membership of Otago/Southland local authorities), it was resolved these zones support the promotion of a concept using coloured identification system. The meetings also resolved that the Local Government Working Group be asked to support the system and seek government/industry implementation of it.

The coloured sticker system could see:

*Green stickers for self-contained campervans. These vans could park anywhere in accordance with local freedom camping policies and no time would be wasted by enforcement officers investigating on-board facilities.

*Orange stickers for campervans holding tanks for grey water only. These vans would be able to park in accordance with local freedom camping policies only where there was a toilet facility.

*Red stickers for campervans with no holding tanks. These vans would only be able to park in recognised camping grounds.

Zone 6 Chairman and Clutha District Councillor Peter McPherson said the sticker system would ensure it would be simple to see from a distance whether a vehicle complied. Stickers could be issued as part of the warrant of fitness process. 

Mr McPherson said South Island councils were apparently not the only parties concerned about the management of freedom camping and the issue had attracted significant media coverage and discussion in recent times. He said he was aware that the tourism industry was now taking the issue seriously, and he hoped to be able to work with them to develop this proposal. 

Zone 5 Chair and Westland’s Mayor, Maureen Pugh, is part of the Tourism Industry Association’s working party on Freedom Camping and will be working on behalf of Zone 5, along with Kaikoura’s Mayor, Kevin Heays, to ensure a consistent approach to the issue.