CAMPING THE KIWI WAY

Let ONE person in authority know you want to protect your right to freedom camp on public land.

If you care about your rights to continue free camping, use all your democratic rights to contact, lobby, write to, or message the people who have to make this law actually work.

Choose one.

• Write to your local media or meet a reporter and tell your story about summer freedom camping, the issues because of the new law, as well as the good times.
  

• Know your local council freedom camping bylaws — are they being changed and are they fair? Did they actually assess all restricted areas and fully consult about it? How did they actually spend any government grants for this work?
  

• Ask councils for camp sites. If there’s water, toilet and a rubbish bin for day use, why not let the space be used at night? Lobby for those not self-contained, or self-contained to the old standard, and for space for tent camping.
  

• Talk to your local MP — tell them how your rights are being eroded and how your family recreation is being lost.
  

• Write to Ministers of the Crown: Sport & Recreation, Hon Chris Bishop; Regulation, Hon David Seymour; Tourism, Hon Matt Doocey; Hunting and Fishing, Hon Todd McClay. The full list and contact details are here: ckw.nz/ministerial-list

  • Explain how the new laws seem to be a “sledgehammer approach for a tack” issue and do nothing resolve the bad behaviour of anyone on public land who leaves their rubbish or waste behind.

  • Tell them how it negatively affects YOU or your whānau who just want to enjoy your camping recreation and your country.
    

• Have your say with groups you belong to, who are fighting to resolve the unworkable new law. All Points Camping Club NZ, NZ Lifestyle Camping, NZMCA or other freedom camping or camping groups.
  

• Contact the groups tasked with implementing the new law:

  • MBIE Responsible Camping Team, who created the regulations. website

  • PGDB Plumbers Gasfitters Drainlayers Board self containment team who are struggling to deliver the new system. website
    

Here is the actual legislation — Freedom Camping Act.

Articles in this issue on the freedom camping law changes:

• Predictable problems with the new CSC green warrant system (p2)

• Editorial (p3)

• Self-containment warrant cards: Which one is yours? (p6)

• So you want to freedom camp (p8)

• What is ‘self-contained’, anyway? (p10)

• Enforcement of freedom camping rules (p12)

• I am not freedom camping' cards (p14)

• Do your bit: Task of the week (p16)

• No more freedom camping (p16)

• Kaikōura: the freedom camping Wild West (p18)

• Hey NZ Govt? You are messing with my mental health (p20)

• 7 days a week (p21)
  

• Celebrating Summer (p5)