The outgoing Queenstown Lakes District Council responsible camping project manager says one of his biggest disappointments during his three-year tenure has been the "glacial" pace at which the Government has moved on freedom camping legislation.
Speaking to the council’s community and services committee yesterday, Tim Dowson, who finishes in the role today, said the Government had withdrawn responsible camping funding — which had been in place since the 2018-19 summer — last year.
In all, the council received almost $1.3 million between 2018 and 2020-21 for responsible camping initiatives, including funding ambassadors.
During the 2019-20 summer, the Queenstown Lakes had 16 ambassadors, tasked with educating visitors about the district’s strict freedom camping bylaw.
The funding ceased last year.
"Effectively, what the Government is saying, is ‘over to you’," Mr Dowson told the committee.
"I think QLDC and other regions will continue to lobby Government on that point, because I think one of the biggest disappointments for me as I leave this role is that the movement on the legislation has been glacial and, despite recommendations from the working group, which Government specifically set up and asked for recommendations, those recommendations have not been adopted, other than minor ones under [Tourism] Minister [Stuart] Nash."
Mr Nash announced new freedom camping regulations in Queenstown last November, which will make it illegal for anyone to freedom camp without a fixed toilet, with a new certification to be delivered by the Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board.
A national register would also be established, on which certified vehicles would be recorded.
Mr Dowson said the government funding had paid for the district’s freedom camping ambassadors, while the enforcement funding was "effectively self-sustaining".
"Enforcement continues, but there’s less resource available, unless there is specific funding from within council’s coffers.
"So, the funding now will be [from] within council’s budget, and will be as much as we possibly can do," he said.
The council had tried to share its designs for signs and collateral with other regions to get "some sort of national response to this".
Progress on that was his other disappointment.
"I feel that, politically, there’s been a lack of leadership to really start building a unified national approach in terms of the look and feel, on the approach to ambassadors, et cetera."
Community services general manager Thunes Cloete — who also finishes with the council today — said the council would continue to look for funding and "keep on knocking on the door of MBIE [the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment]", while also keeping an eye on the freedom camping bounce-back.
The committee ultimately agreed to recommend the full council adopt the Queenstown Lakes Responsible Camping Strategy 2022, developed to promote the sustainable use of the environment for visitor and community experience through "well-managed, co-ordinated and responsible camping in the district".
