Salesa Jenny; Halbert Shanan; Henare PeeniSELF-CONTAINED MOTOR VEHICLES LEGISLATION BILLIn CommitteeCHAIRPERSON (Hon Jenny Salesa): Members we come now to the Self-contained Motor Vehicles Legislation Bill. SHANAN HALBERT (Junior Whip—Labour): Point of order Madam Chair. I seek leave for all provisions to be taken as one question.CHAIRPERSON (Hon Jenny Salesa): Leave is sought for that purpose. Is there any objection? There is no objection. The question is that Parts 1 to 3 the Schedule and clauses 1 and 2 stand part.Parts 1 to 3 Schedule and clauses 1 and 2Hon PEENI HENARE (Minister of Tourism): Just a slight recap and also to speak to a Supplementary Order Paper that will be delivered in my name. Freedom camping is important to Aotearoa New Zealand both for our people and our manuhiri. However change is needed and it's become loud and clear from communities that the freedom camping system is no longer sustainable. We must practise kaitiakitanga by taking better care of our people and our whenua. A particular concern is those who freedom camp in vehicles that do not contain fixed toilets and are disposing of human waste inappropriately. This pollutes our environment and angers our communities. The cost to clean this up after irresponsible freedom campers has historically fallen on the environment and our communities. Local ratepayers taxpayers and councils have asked for change and the Government has responded. The Government reforms address concerns by requiring fixed toilets in certified self-contained vehicles ensuring that vehicle certification is consistent and high quality and by giving local government more tools to address issues in their region. Part 1 deals with the new national rule requiring that vehicle-based freedom campers use a certified self-contained vehicle when they stay on council land unless the council designates the site as suitable for non - self-contained vehicles. The new rule is key in enabling local authorities to better manage freedom camping in their area and reduce pressure on public infrastructure. The bill extends the Freedom Camping Act 2011 to include land managed by Waka Kotahi and Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) as freedom camping issues have occurred on both LINZ and Waka Kotahi land. Extending the Act in this way will provide Waka Kotahi and LINZ with additional management tools through the ability to prescribe restrictions on freedom camping as well as access to the offences and penalties regime. The bill introduces a broader range of infringement offences to deter poor behaviour such as freedom camping in breach of the new national rule not displaying a warrant card or displaying an altered or fraudulent warrant card. It also enables infringement notices to be emailed to individuals who have committed an offence to speed up the process and increase collection rates.The bill provides for a two-year transition process to enable the gradual implementation of the regulatory regime. The transition period is essential for enabling new certification authorities to get approval from the Plumbers Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board (PGDB) and develop their services; vehicle inspections and certification to be staggered to minimise wait times for the public and the public to be educated and informed about the new rules and requirements. I have also introduced a Supplementary Order Paper that introduces the ability to extend the transition period by up to 24 months by Order in Council if necessary. This amendment will enable some flexibility if there is insufficient capacity in the system during the original two-year transition period while still enabling the reforms to be progressed if there is adequate capacity.The policy objective of the bill is for those experiencing homelessness not to be penalised—and I want to repeat: not to be penalised—under the freedom camping rules. The Supplementary Order Paper adds a legislative exemption to protect those experiencing homelessness from receiving infringement for freedom camping offences. The proposed exemption will cover people residing in New Zealand who are staying in a motor vehicle or tent because they are unable to live in appropriate residential accommodation. This will encompass the broad range of circumstances that may lead to someone experiencing homelessness. This exemption will protect the interests and welfare of this vulnerable group and the bill will also mandate a review of the impact of the reforms on those experiencing homelessness. Part 2 of the bill amends the Plumbers Gasfitters and Drainlayers Act 2006 to establish the PGBD as a new regulator for the certification of self-contained vehicles. The primary purpose of the system is to ensure the sanitary plumbing requirements have been met for people to be self-contained when camping in a vehicle. The bill will require vehicles to have a fixed toilet to be certified as self-contained. This will build public confidence that if the vehicle is certified it is equipped with a toilet that is more likely to be used than a portable toilet and that the toilet has not been removed from the vehicle. This will contribute to reducing the costs borne by communities and the environment.In my engagement with both councils and communities as I've travelled the country it's become quite clear that we want to take our responsibilities of kaitiakitanga seriously and what we also want to do is make sure that those who do visit pristine sites in this country like lakesides beachsides and important significant sites around this country can do so without seeing the kind of human waste that we're seeing in places like rest stops and on beaches and by lakes. I look forward to the engagement on this bill in the committee.