Christine Garey <\/p>\n
The comments come after a story in yesterday's Otago Daily Times revealed 2642 tourists caught freedom camping illegally in Queenstown Lakes area in the year to January had been stung with a $200 penalty. <\/p>\n
Despite a third of those fined leaving the country without paying, the Queenstown Lakes District Council, according to ODT calculations, collected about $370,000 from wayward campers in the period. <\/p>\n
In the same period, the Dunedin City Council issued no fines, because its bylaw was not as punitive and because no-one was specifically employed to catch rule-breaking freedom campers. <\/p>\n
Ms Garey yesterday said the board was pushing for a review of the council's freedom camping bylaw and policy and, as part of that, she would like to see someone employed to enforce the rules. <\/p>\n
Whatever bylaw the council came up with, there needed to be clear enforcement and clear rules, so both visitors and locals could understand it. <\/p>\n
The Queenstown example showed having a bylaw which could be enforced and then having staff police it would ''pay for itself''. <\/p>\n
She believed it would also improve behaviour among freedom campers, but stressed there was no ''silver bullet'' to fix the problem. <\/p>\n
''What we want is the visitors to follow the rules, but there are some instances where we may need to fine people in order to get them to.'' <\/p>\n
DCC parks manager Lisa Wheeler said staff were writing a report aimed at giving councillors options should they decide to go ahead with a review of the council's freedom camping policy. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
More:<\/p>\n
Call to follow resort on freedom campers<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Christine Garey The comments come after a story in yesterday's Otago Daily Times revealed 2642 tourists caught freedom camping illegally in Queenstown Lakes area in the year to January had been stung with a $200 penalty. Continue reading