Henare PeeniSELF-CONTAINED MOTOR VEHICLES LEGISLATION BILLSecond ReadingHon PEENI HENARE (Minister of Tourism): Kia ora. Thank you Madam Speaker. I present a legislative statement on the Self-contained Motor Vehicles Legislation Bill. ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Jacqui Dean): That legislative statement is published under the authority of the House and can be found on the Parliament website.Hon PEENI HENARE: I move That the Self-contained Motor Vehicles Legislation Bill be now read a second time.Madam Speaker thank you for the opportunity to read this bill for the second time. This bill amends both the Freedom Camping Act 2011 and the Plumbers Gasfitters and Drainlayers Act 2006. The bill was introduced in August 2022 and referred to the Economic Development Science and Innovation Committee for consideration.Freedom camping is important to Aotearoa New Zealand for both our people and our visitors with many freedom campers travelling widely to experience our wonderful te taiao and spend money in our communities. However while the number of freedom campers has been steadily increasing over the last decade so too have the negative environmental and social impacts. A particular concern is those who freedom camp in vehicles that do not contain fixed toilets and are disposing of human waste inappropriately polluting our environment and angering our communities. [Interruption] I can say to the two members opposite interjecting that even their councils support the moves that we are making in this legislation and I recommend to them to strap into their toilet seats as we flush out the people who are misbehaving in this space and I encourage them to start seeing the light on this matter and support this bill.Kaitiakitanga is a responsibility that we all have. Whether you're an overseas visitor whether you're a Kiwi whether you like exploring our backyard or you're on holiday we must all respect the whenua and preserve it for future generations to enjoy. Concerns about irresponsible freedom campers were raised in the 2021 Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment report which noted the negative impact to our environment occurring under the current system. This followed years of calls for regulatory reform particularly from local authorities and communities and this Government has responded with this bill. The bill will improve the management of vehicle-based freedom camping by creating a robust regulatory system that local government can rely on to reduce the negative effects of freedom camping. The bill ensures that vehicle certification is consistent and to a high standard while giving a robust regulatory system that local government can rely on to reduce the negative effects of freedom camping. The certification is consistent and to a high standard while giving local government more tools to address the specific issues to their regions. It will also give our communities confidence in our freedom camping system and the bill supports our visitors in following the Tiaki Promise to protect nature keep New Zealand clean and show respect to others and the environment.This bill does not stop people enjoying the activity of freedom camping nor does it change the quintessential backcountry experience that no doubt many of us grew up with. It is about protecting our environment and improving things for our communities and not preventing people from freedom camping.I want to thank everybody who made a submission on this bill especially those who took the time to speak to the Economic Development Science and Innovation Committee in person. I also want to thank the members of the committee for their consideration of the bill and can I at this point in time also thank the hard-working officials. Even before the select committee process the Government had undertaken extensive consultation receiving over 5000 submissions in response to the discussion document that informed the bill. Throughout the preparation of the bill officials worked closely with representatives from key freedom camping groups and local authorities. Their input has provided an important practical perspective in the development of this legislation.The select committee heard from around 750 submitters many of whom opposed the bill because it will require self-contained vehicles like freedom campers to have a fixed toilet. However the views of this minority of less than 1 percent of self-contained vehicle owners should not be blown out of proportion and Mr Mooney should listen up because the councils in his electorate actually pushed for this legislation. I can tell him on a recent visit having visited one of the gems of tourism in his electorate there were people freedom camping there and that is an issue.However the Government has heard time and time again from local authorities in some of those members' electorates and the communities that they represent about the challenges they face as a result of freedom camping citing the fact that human waste litter and other antisocial behaviour has been found in their regions and in fact in some of the most beautiful places in this country. As such we saw the majority of local authorities support the bill on behalf of their communities. They are the ones currently picking up the tab for irresponsible freedom campers.Fixed toilets are a key aspect of building confidence in the freedom camping system and reducing the environmental impacts and costs caused by irresponsible freedom campers. It's estimated that there are 73000 self-contained vehicles in New Zealand and the research shows that for domestic freedom campers 85 percent of those already have a fixed or fitted toilet. Those who don't and who are not able to fit one will still be able to stay at any of the hundreds of private or Department of Conservation campsites around the country. Some have argued that portable toilets are sufficient but the research shows that fixed toilets are approximately twice as likely to be used by freedom campers as portable toilets. For domestic freedom campers over 98 percent of those with fixed toilets use them. The fixed toilet requirement is not designed to stop people from freedom camping but rather ensure that it is done responsibly. Requiring fixed toilets will encourage increased usage and help reduce the improper disposal of waste which currently incurs a cost borne by local communities to repair the harm done to the natural environment by irresponsible freedom campers. [Interruption] Well I mean if the other side doubts it they can always ask Simeon Brown to get out in his gumboots with a shovel to fix it. It will also help to build trust in the regulatory system as these toilets can't be easily removed from their vehicles after certification.Freedom camping has never been free and it is often ratepayers and taxpayers footing the bill. The Government has already provided $90 million of funding for tourism-related infrastructure since 2017 through the Tourism Infrastructure Fund and a further $24.5 million on freedom camping projects since 2018 through the Responsible Camping Fund. Despite this funding our communities are still paying for the actions of a minority of those who behave irresponsibly. That is why we've chosen to take a regulation-based approach along with providing funding for local authorities to implement the new system. It is time that the cost of freedom camping is shifted from our communities to those who choose to enjoy our beautiful environment in this way.I understand there were concerns raised about the impact of the bill on homelessness. The intent of the bill is not to penalise those experiencing homelessness and I will look to ensure the legislation reflects this intent. I have listened to feedback from submitters the Regulations Review Committee and recommendations from officials published in their departmental report. As the committee did not report back on the bill I am intending to take forward a comprehensive Supplementary Order Paper at the committee of the whole House stage to improve the bill's overall operation. Some of the changes I intend to progress through this Supplementary Order Paper include lowering the default infringement fee amending the definition of a motor vehicle and minor technical amendments to enhance the operation of bylaws.In conclusion let me commend this bill to the House. It implements urgently required reforms that will create confidence in the freedom camping system. We can no longer ignore the costs that irresponsible freedom campers impose on our environment and our communities. Now is the time to respond to the calls for change from local government and make these changes while our international visitor numbers start to build back. To do nothing will only lead to more concern more pressure on our local communities and environment and sadly a loss of social licence. In this vein I commend this bill to the House.ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Jacqui Dean): The question is that the motion be agreed to.