1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:02,880 Speaker 1: Freedom camping back in the news. Queenstown Lakes District. They've 2 00:00:02,920 --> 00:00:04,440 Speaker 1: been there before. They got the harsh number of road 3 00:00:04,440 --> 00:00:06,200 Speaker 1: campers in the country. Of course, twenty twenty one day 4 00:00:06,280 --> 00:00:08,520 Speaker 1: to Buy law tossed out for being too restrictive. That 5 00:00:08,680 --> 00:00:11,320 Speaker 1: left the district without one since last year. Basically, so 6 00:00:11,400 --> 00:00:14,360 Speaker 1: there's a new plan proposes fifteen designated spots up from 7 00:00:14,440 --> 00:00:17,720 Speaker 1: just one. James Imlake is the Motor Caravan Association boss 8 00:00:17,720 --> 00:00:19,920 Speaker 1: and he's with us morning, good morning, night. Are these 9 00:00:19,960 --> 00:00:22,919 Speaker 1: particular rules and ideas? Is this argument unique to Queenstown 10 00:00:23,000 --> 00:00:24,759 Speaker 1: or is the whole country in some way, shape or 11 00:00:24,760 --> 00:00:25,720 Speaker 1: form affected by this. 12 00:00:27,120 --> 00:00:30,639 Speaker 2: It's more particularly in Queenstown, Mike. This council has a 13 00:00:30,760 --> 00:00:33,320 Speaker 2: history of making unlawful decisions and this is just the 14 00:00:33,360 --> 00:00:36,360 Speaker 2: tip of the iceberg. We've been battling them for a 15 00:00:36,440 --> 00:00:38,680 Speaker 2: number of years and gone to court twice and come 16 00:00:38,720 --> 00:00:41,720 Speaker 2: out successful twice, and we're concerned that they're going to 17 00:00:41,760 --> 00:00:43,840 Speaker 2: make the same mistakes again with this new by law. 18 00:00:44,040 --> 00:00:45,280 Speaker 1: Had they consulted well or not. 19 00:00:46,880 --> 00:00:49,080 Speaker 2: They had consulted the public, but I don't think they've 20 00:00:49,120 --> 00:00:51,880 Speaker 2: done a well enough job where they could have arrived 21 00:00:51,880 --> 00:00:54,280 Speaker 2: in an outcome that would protect the community but still 22 00:00:54,320 --> 00:00:58,320 Speaker 2: allow law abiding New Zealanders to freedom camp in the 23 00:00:58,360 --> 00:00:59,520 Speaker 2: district without causing harm. 24 00:01:00,080 --> 00:01:02,520 Speaker 1: Said that, have they consulted You say, yes, But what's 25 00:01:02,720 --> 00:01:04,959 Speaker 1: happened clearly is they've consulted that you just don't like 26 00:01:05,000 --> 00:01:06,840 Speaker 1: what they've done, and they're allowed to do what they 27 00:01:06,840 --> 00:01:07,960 Speaker 1: do generally, aren't they. 28 00:01:08,880 --> 00:01:11,440 Speaker 2: Well, I think the consultation has been a bit of 29 00:01:11,480 --> 00:01:14,640 Speaker 2: a token gesture, okay, because the outcome that we see 30 00:01:14,680 --> 00:01:16,480 Speaker 2: here is very similar to what they've been trying to 31 00:01:16,480 --> 00:01:19,440 Speaker 2: push for a number of years. The kay Court told 32 00:01:19,520 --> 00:01:22,560 Speaker 2: them two years ago that what they could do wasn't lawful, 33 00:01:22,680 --> 00:01:24,560 Speaker 2: so they're just trying to find another way to get 34 00:01:24,560 --> 00:01:25,240 Speaker 2: the same outcome. 35 00:01:25,400 --> 00:01:28,280 Speaker 1: See, is the problem the internationals or is it you 36 00:01:28,400 --> 00:01:30,720 Speaker 1: retired couple of your locals who just want to do 37 00:01:30,760 --> 00:01:32,920 Speaker 1: a bit of freedom camping and the international spoil it 38 00:01:32,959 --> 00:01:34,640 Speaker 1: for everybody? Or is it more complex than that. 39 00:01:36,080 --> 00:01:39,240 Speaker 2: Well, it is a bit complex, but at a high level, 40 00:01:39,280 --> 00:01:42,759 Speaker 2: I think the counts are saying that it's these international 41 00:01:42,760 --> 00:01:45,840 Speaker 2: travelers and these budget vehicles that are causing a problem. 42 00:01:46,600 --> 00:01:50,640 Speaker 2: But the by law doesn't need to stop everybody from 43 00:01:50,720 --> 00:01:53,080 Speaker 2: being able to camp. The vast majority of people who 44 00:01:53,080 --> 00:01:56,120 Speaker 2: are Keyweeks of Freedom camp are responsible. They've had a 45 00:01:56,160 --> 00:01:58,680 Speaker 2: lot of money to do this, their rate payers and taxpayers, 46 00:01:58,680 --> 00:02:01,000 Speaker 2: but they've been completely shut up because the council doesn't 47 00:02:01,040 --> 00:02:03,640 Speaker 2: want to even look at other options to enable them 48 00:02:03,720 --> 00:02:04,840 Speaker 2: to continue campaign. 49 00:02:04,840 --> 00:02:07,040 Speaker 1: Do you think they're just ideologically opposed to the idea 50 00:02:07,080 --> 00:02:09,040 Speaker 1: and they don't want to give you a free run. 51 00:02:10,040 --> 00:02:12,400 Speaker 2: Absolutely, They've made it very clear to us over the 52 00:02:12,480 --> 00:02:15,239 Speaker 2: last decade they just do not want New Zealanders camping 53 00:02:15,280 --> 00:02:16,280 Speaker 2: in their own backyard. 54 00:02:17,040 --> 00:02:19,000 Speaker 1: Is it worth the fight? I mean, you can go 55 00:02:19,040 --> 00:02:20,880 Speaker 1: out of the places. New Zealand's beautiful place and there's 56 00:02:20,880 --> 00:02:22,400 Speaker 1: a lot of places to park. Do you really need 57 00:02:22,440 --> 00:02:23,920 Speaker 1: to be in central a tiger they're going to be 58 00:02:23,919 --> 00:02:25,160 Speaker 1: pricks about them. 59 00:02:25,840 --> 00:02:28,919 Speaker 2: Well, yeah, Queenstown is a tourism meta of New Zealand 60 00:02:28,960 --> 00:02:31,000 Speaker 2: and a lot of Keywis want to go down there 61 00:02:31,040 --> 00:02:33,200 Speaker 2: and enjoy a holiday down and spend money in their 62 00:02:33,240 --> 00:02:37,160 Speaker 2: local communities. But also queens Town has made it very 63 00:02:37,160 --> 00:02:40,079 Speaker 2: clear that they want this to set a precedent. They 64 00:02:40,080 --> 00:02:44,079 Speaker 2: want other councils to follow their regime and their lobbying 65 00:02:44,240 --> 00:02:47,880 Speaker 2: government quite hard to make substantial changes to legislation so 66 00:02:47,919 --> 00:02:51,320 Speaker 2: that Keywis can't go camping around most of the country 67 00:02:51,360 --> 00:02:53,440 Speaker 2: and less councils say they can, and we just think 68 00:02:53,480 --> 00:02:54,480 Speaker 2: that's fundamentally wrong. 69 00:02:54,520 --> 00:02:56,520 Speaker 1: All right, James, appreciate it, James and Black who's with 70 00:02:56,560 --> 00:03:00,400 Speaker 1: the New Zealand Motor Caravan Association. For more The Mic 71 00:03:00,480 --> 00:03:03,560 Speaker 1: Asking Breakfast Listen live to news talks at B from 72 00:03:03,639 --> 00:03:07,079 Speaker 1: six am weekdays, or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.