Trial targets bad freedom campers

Tourists to the Coromandel will find it much harder to leave the country without paying any freedom camping fines they rack up during their trips.

Since the Freedom Camping bylaw was enforced under the Freedom Camping Act in 2012, the Thames-Coromandel District Council has issued 4993 infringements, with about 12 per cent of those fine waived while 28 per cent were left unpaid.


The Thames-Coromandel District Council is running a trial on the peninsula targeting tourists who try to leave the country without paying their freedom camping fines.File Photo.

To address the problem council has partnered with Tourism Holdings Limited, operator of the Maui, Britz and Mighty Campers campervan brands, to run a trial on the Coromandel. Queenstown Lakes District Council is also partnering on the trial.

Under the trial, when council issues infringements to a THL hire van, staff will photocopy the infringement within 24 hours and invoice it to the hire company. When the hirer returns the van to the hire company, the hirer is then asked to pay the fine.

Community environment manager Barry Smedts says the poor behaviour of some freedom campers casts stigma over the whole practice and needed to be addressed.

'Irresponsible use of public places, camping where prohibited, littering, incorrect disposal of human waste, and a poor level of knowledge by the campers are just some of the issues troubling local councils including ours,” says Barry.

Currently when an infringement is issued, people can either pay in person at one of council's offices across the district, or by credit card via their website.

But infringement fines are not tagged to the rental vehicle and many infringement fines are unpaid when people leave the country, explains Barry.

'There are some who appeal their fine and we work through that process, in some other cases we have international visitors who may leave the country without paying at all, so it's difficult for us to follow up.

'Infringements are a bit quiet for TCDC at this time of the year, but the Queenstown Lakes District Council have reported a good response to having fines paid.”

CHANGES TO FREEDOM CAMPING ACT 2011

Councils around New Zealand called for changes to the Freedom Camping Act 2011 in a remit presented by South Island councils at the Local Government New Zealand conference in July.

While the Government has committed to a review that will consider widening the infringement powers available to councils, TCDC has taken a lead by gaining support from the tourism industry itself, which has been playing its part by educating customers.

Tourism Holdings Limited chief executive Grant Webster agrees there is a problem with vans that aren't certified self-contained and they have been taking a strong educational approach to responsible camping to date.

'We are now happy to work with councils to take this a step further and help collect infringement fees for those that ignore the wide range of approved overnight options available to our rental motorhome customers.”

The NZ Motor Caravan Association has also sponsored a change to improve the New Zealand Standard on self-containment for motorhomes as part of a memorandum of understanding with TCDC. The new standard is being considered by Standards New Zealand this month.

'We have a really strong partnership now with the New Zealand Motorcaravan Association who we're partnering with on a number of projects,” says Barry.

'They've set up Motor Caravan Friendly stops in Coromandel Town, while Whangamata, Thames and Whitianga are in the process of becoming Motor Caravan-friendly. They are looking at other areas on the Coromandel where they can either lease or buy land to accommodate their members.

NZMCA president Bruce Lochore will attended council's September meeting to share with elected members how the TCDC has led the way in improving the management of freedom camping.

You may also like....

0 comments

Leave a Comment


You must be logged in to make a comment.