In conversation
INSIDE THIS WEEK Camera Club: PAGE 6 Views: PAGE11 sport: Page 16
Q & A with Mary Robinson.
paGE 3
Murray second in FWT grand finale Freeskier Craig Murray has placed second in the Freeride World Tour grand finale.
28 Reece Crescent Wanaka ph 03 443 8176 | www.guthriebowron.co.nz
page 14
thewanakasun.co.nz
Thur 05.04.18 - wed 11.04.19
DELIVERED AND FREE
EDITION 864
The Harvard Display Team’s formation aerobatics entertained the crowd at Warbirds Over Wanaka International Airshow. See more on the airshow on pages 8 and 9. PHOTO: Wanaka Sun
Freedom camping enforcement under fire BUTLER D DANIELLE newsdesk@thewanakasun.co.nz
P
eople movers and small vehicles adding to Wanaka’s freedom camping woes will be allowed to stay as self-contained certified vehicles for up to two years. The New Zealand Motor Caravan Association Inc. (NZMCA) announced in February that it was implementing a temporary stay on the certification of people movers and similar small car conversions as self-contained while it reviewed several issues relating to New Zealand’s SelfContainment Standard. No new vehicles will be granted with the certification but vehicles already classed as selfcontained will be allowed to remain certified. Among the issues up for review was the varying interpretations of toilet requirements by testing officers, meaning that certain vehicle types had continued to be certified when they did not comply with the purpose and intent of the Standard. Wanaka resident Jim Ledgerwood told the Wanaka Sun that he spotted freedom
campers along the lake in smaller vehicles with self-containment verification stickers most mornings. “It is disturbing that many of those [vehicles], some as small as traditional station wagons, have folks sleeping in them and the blue stickers suggesting that they are self contained vehicles with facilities onboard. There is obviously no room for a toilet, let alone a shower,” Jim said. NZMCA’s national policy and planning manager James Imlach said that the blue sticker did not absolutely verify whether or not a vehicle was self-contained under the NZ Standard and was merely a tool to assist enforcement officers. “Whenever an enforcement officer doubts the veracity of the blue sticker they should check the vehicle’s self-containment warrant displayed on the front windscreen and, if necessary, ask to inspect the selfcontainment certificate that must be kept inside the vehicle at all times,” James said. James said that the fact that non selfcontained vehicles were displaying the stickers on Wanaka’s lakefront meant that
Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) enforcement officers may not be relying on the right documents for verification. “This suggests there is scope for further education on the Standard. The tools are available to all councils like QLDC, perhaps they just need to be better utilised in some instances,” James said. QLDC communications and engagement manager Naell Crosby-Roe said that enforcement officers did not rely on the blue self-contained stickers, rather referring to a warrant-like endorsement in the windscreen which meant that the vehicle had been assessed as self-contained by a registered body such as the NZMCA or a plumber. “Legally, enforcement officers do have the authority to seize vehicles, but council’s preferred approach at this time is to focus on education and, where appropriate, seizing the self-contained warrant. However, the council does believe the requirements for this endorsement are still lower than should be required. A minimum standard should apply to all vehicles to be classed as selfcontained,” Naell said.
James said that the NZMCA had been communicating with QLDC and Mayor Jim Boult about the council’s concerns regarding vehicles travelling with portable toilets. QLDC’s desire to see a higher Standard which only permits vehicles with permanently fixed toilets in private rooms was problematic, James said. “There was no appetite from within the rental industry, central and local government to support QLDC’s preferred approach. There are thousands of legitimate camping vehicles with portable toilets. The families that own them would be unfairly disadvantaged by higher regulations designed to target a few hundred cars,” he said. Naell said that it was possible for the council to review its freedom camping bylaw as suggested by the NZMCA but that the issue with a number of people camping irresponsibly was a national one. “Therefore the council is actively working at a national level to address these issues rather than creating a system that creates different rules for the Queenstown Lakes District in isolation of a national approach,” Naell said.
Wanaka 12 Farrant Drive
Lake Hawea 39 Nichol Street
Wanaka 1 Turnbull Crescent
For Sale by Deadline Private Treaty (unless sold prior) 4pm, Fri 27 Apr 2018, 62 Ardmore St, Wanaka bayleys.co.nz/224316
For Sale by Deadline Private Treaty (unless sold prior) 4pm, Thu 19 Apr 2018, 62 Ardmore St, Wanaka bayleys.co.nz/224314
Price by Negotiation
Sharon Donnelly P 0508 DONNELLY
No.
E sharon.donnelly@bayleys.co.nz
MAT ANDREWS REAL ESTATE LTD, BAYLEYS, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008
bayleys.co.nz/224288
RESIDENTIAL
SALESPERSON
NATIONWIDE 2016 / 2017