Dunedin's management of freedom camping has evolved to strike a good balance between being a welcoming city and encouraging appropriate behaviour, some councillors say.
Dunedin Mayor Jules Radich said yesterday the combination of a welcoming city and light policing had led to a good rate of compliance and solid visitor numbers.
Cr David Benson-Pope said the council provided a mix of sites for camping vehicles and people using them were encouraged to behave appropriately.
Cr Christine Garey welcomed a largely educational approach.
Most enforcement notices from the past season have been for breaching a rule about staying more than two consecutive nights.
The council is to ease up on nightly enforcement patrols, focusing them on the busiest three months of the season from next summer.
Education of campers about a city bylaw is to continue through the season, as well as enforcement resulting from complaints.
Meantime, the Government is looking to stiffen regulations.
Cr Steve Walker, whose candidacy for the city council was endorsed by the Labour Party, was unconvinced the Government had the right mentality.
The law was shaping up to be largely ineffective and work against hard-working New Zealanders, he said.
Cr Jim O’Malley said provision of good sites seemed to contribute to compliance.
Cr Andrew Whiley said communities had in the past struggled with the impact of freedom camping.
Community sentiment and the way freedom camping was managed in the city had evolved, he said.
