Media Release from Local Government Zone 5 & Zone 6 Meeting,

Dunedin, Friday 7 May 2010

South island councils move on freedom camping

In response to a proposed remit presented by Mayor Maureen Pugh a meeting of South Island Local Government Mayors, Chairs and Councillors held on Thursday 6 May in Dunedin unanimously resolved to ask Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) to work with Government and the Freedom Camping Forum to develop legislative and regulatory measures to allow local government to better manage freedom camping issues in their districts and put in place stronger enforcement powers to deal with offences

Clive Geddes, Mayor of Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) said “it was important the fines for offences be the responsibility of those hiring out camping vans to tourists.

Too many tourists are simply leaving the country without paying fines.  There was close to two million dollars of unrecoverable fines issued by QLDC.”

There was concern that Government would not deal with the issue as a priority and the work being done on Auckland City was being used as an excuse for not progressing the legislation changes requested by Local Government.

The meeting emphasized that the change being requested to manage freedom camping had to be in place before the Rugby World Cup 2011 tournament or Local Government simply would not be able to deal with the influx of campervans through their territories.

LGNZ CEO, Eugene Bowen, said he and his team supports the proposed remit to be presented at the Local Government conference in July and will work with central Government to have changes implemented in time for the Rugby World Cup 2011.

ENDS