Bill English Freedom Camping Response By Responsible Campers Group

Press release;

We have again today seen a knee jerk reaction by our Prime Minister into preceived problems with freedom camping. It is obvious that Bill English has never even read the Self Containment Standard for Motor caravans and Caravans (NZS 5465:2001 with amendments dated 31 May 2017).

Clearly within this standard is a requirement for a toilet however built in toilets are not a requirement with Portaloos being sufficient. After this years amendment also able to be used outside the Motorhome / Caravan in a toilet tent or similar structure.

It is a point of interest that it was the National Government that introduced the Freedom Camping Act 2011 and has allowed Councils to restrict Freedom camping to areas for Self Contained Vehicles use only, an restriction that is not within the 'intent' of the Act. During submissions into creation of the Freedom Camping Act both the Department of Conservation and Internal Affairs advised against differentiating between self contained and non self contained campers noting that Self Contained vehicles can be more of an environmental hazard due to the amount of waste carried, indeed there are many examples of accidental discharge of waste from these vehicles due to minor accidents etc.
That the National Government is building a National cycle way from the top of the North to the bottom of the south specifically to cater for cycle tourists and then wants to restrict where they can camp while completing that cycle way remains a major issue.

Responsible Campers Group will continue to promote a responsible freedom Camping regime for New Zealand campers including those not in motorhomes or caravans as the only way forward. To that end we currently have a survey out on a nationwide basis to find the real answers to the real question around freedom camping and littering - the first such survey ever done in NZ nationwide

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