Upston Louise: Freedom Camping Bill — In Committee Third Reading 
Upston Louise: Freedom Camping Bill — In Committee Third Reading 
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LOUISE UPSTON (National—Taupo) 
: 
 I am very pleased to be able to speak in the third reading of the Freedom Camping Bill and to answer some of the issues or the misinformation that has been spread by members on the other side of the House. It is great to be able to get the record straight. 
The Freedom Camping Bill is a very practical bill. It solves a practical problem that affects not only visitors to this country but more important local residents of places that are popular for overseas guests to camp. One of the things the Opposition members have not really got their head around is the shift of the presumption of where people can camp and where they cannot. I would suggest that one of the reasons the councils currently have by-laws that put blanket bans in place is that they have not had any practical tools to deal with the problems. That is exactly what this bill delivers. So the first point is to say that this bill changes the presumption to say that people can freedom camp anywhere unless there is a local council by-law that says otherwise. 
I know it is not normal in the third reading but I want to bring the House’s attention to clause 11(2)(a) which states the reasons under which a council can make a by-law. They are “(i) to protect the area: (ii) to protect the health and safety of people who may visit the area: (iii) to protect access to the area;”. But the key phrase in clause 11(2)(b) is—and the Local Government and Environment Committee did a significant amount of work to get this wording right so I do want to thank the officials both from the Department of Internal Affairs and the Department of Conservation—that “the by-law is the most appropriate and proportionate way of addressing the perceived problem in relation to that area;”. 
That provision means that an authority cannot pass a blanket by-law. This is an example of one of the concerns the Federated Mountain Clubs raised with us. So for those who are interested in hunting fishing and tramping we answered their concern by saying the presumption that they can camp is stronger—this allows them to camp. We also redefined “freedom camp” so that it does not apply to someone who has been travelling overnight and sleeps and rests in their vehicle to keep their driving safe. 
But the main point I want to make is that this is about protecting the right of New Zealand families to camp. I want to give a personal example. I was raised camping by the lakes by the rivers and by the beaches. I remember times with my son when staying in a camping ground was not affordable for me at that time. So we would pack up the borrowed tent jump in the car and drive to a place that was yet undiscovered. 
This bill protects the right of New Zealanders to have those kinds of adventures in this country because it will stop the blanket by-laws. It is all about giving councils the tools so they will not have to put blanket bans in place like they have to today. They can give people an instant fine; this bill gives councils a tool. This makes it consistent for the local council and the Department of Conservation and that is why this bill is a nice practical bill that protects New Zealanders’ long-fought-for ability to camp in the great outdoors. Thank you.