Mayors meet Tourism Minister to thrash out chronic freedom camping issues

March 8, 2018

The council is banning freedom campers from Lake Hayes reserve and the Shotover delta.

The vexed issue of freedom camping is being thrashed out this morning at a meeting in Wellington between Tourism Minister Kelvin Davis and numerous mayors from around the country.

Mayors want more help from the central Government to deal with freedom camping and Mr Davis has said he's willing to look at what more can be done by the Labour-led Government.

For some councils, freedom camping is one of their biggest issues and this morning's meeting at Te Wharewaka on the Wellington waterfront is the first time the Government has sat down with mayors in this way to discuss solutions.

Some councils have restricted freedom camping to certain sites and resorted to wheel clamping campers' vehicles in unapproved areas.

Councils and local residents have long aired their frustrations about campers using bushes as toilets, washing in lakes and leaving litter, among other issues.

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