Letters
Freedom camping bylaw approved
Last week I went and spoke at the hearing for the proposed Freedom Camping Bylaw. The essence of this bylaw is to make it illegal to camp anywhere in Tasman District unless you are in a self-contained motorhome or in an authorised camp ground. So no more sleeping out to be up early at your favourite fishing spot, no more taking the kids down the local river for a low-impact micro-holiday. Trampers, anglers, climbers, cyclists, surfers, whitebaiters, runners, moto-xs, kayakers and lots of NZ families all freedom camp.
The committee considering the bylaw have passed it, however it is yet to be ratified by council. There was much resistance to the bylaw which was overcome by assurances by the Mayor that the bylaw would only be used to “move on” those who were a nuisance.
I have some deep concerns about this solution. The activities of Tasman District residents and the travellers who cause no trouble will be restricted. And I have fear of the increased potential of vigilante-type actions similar to the camper van attack at Pakawau in January. The freedom camper issue needs more consideration and a more intelligent response by our council.
You can stop this process. Please write to the councillors requesting them to not ratify the Freedom Camping Bylaw and to work with the people of Tasman District to find solutions that do not harm the many to punish the few.
Antony Hodgson
I sadly now have no confidence in the public consultation and submissions procedures that the TDC are currently adopting, as evidenced by the way the environmental and planning committee dismally failed to carry out its obligations to properly consider the range of submissions regarding the proposed freedom camping bylaw.
I am astounded that there appears to be no requirement for the councillors to thoroughly investigate the huge range of implications that passing such a bylaw creates. I am utterly dismayed that so many councillors are content to ignore the legal protocols laid down in the Bill of Rights Act 1990 and the Human Rights Act 1993, to ensure that a bylaw does not infringe basic human liberties.
The proposed freedom camping bylaw is fundamentally discriminatory on so many levels that it should not be tolerated by any authentic democracy. The bylaw unreasonably interferes with the rights and interests of the majority of people who do not provide any nuisance, personally take responsibility for any waste generated, and leave no trace when camping in nature. I urge the TDC to not opt in to this proposed bylaw, and instead to develop sustainable solutions to the issues which avoid infringing human rights.
Jules Harper
The TDC, last Thursday, approved a draft bylaw that makes it illegal to freedom camp unless you have a self-contained motor home, even where toilets are provided. Freedom camping will be for the rich. This legislation blatantly discriminates. Their justification was that they would only prosecute on a complaints basis. Wake up!
Because of the Rugby World Cup the National Government is pushing through bylaws via local councils that will totally change our ability to camp simply on public land in nature. This will have huge impact on the tourist market and the Kiwi tradition of taking the kids camping.
We presented TDC with 222 signatures collected in Takaka alone over a few days opposing this bylaw. Lack of consultation and misleading information has meant that most people did not realise the implications of what was being proposed. It is illegal for a council to conduct its affairs in such a manner. The submission process is a farce! Councillors don’t even have to answer to the real concerns of ratepaying residents who regularly freedom camp, cause no nuisance, and leave no trace.
Rita Davies
It is incumbent on our duly elected council to drop the proposed bylaw against people of Aotearoa exercising their right to enjoy and experience nature. Police are already empowered to deal with the vandalistic criminality of the minority of people which has exacerbated our local community. The proposed law is discriminatory and will do little to effect a change in behaviour. Many solutions are possible, ie a levy on rental vans to pay for toilets, information on how to camp sustainably. A little more creative thinking outside of the proverbial box (which council appears to want to keep us in) will enhance the regions for all. Let your council know you wish to continue to live a respectfully free life.
Helen Mead
PM: please send your letter to the newspaper concerned. Ed.
Multi-function centre
Re: Peter Blasdale’s reply (GBW 21/4) to the “negative” letter (GBW 15/4) about a proposed sports/recreational complex in Golden Bay.
According to a support group spokesperson, the yearly cost to the ratepayer is estimated at around $42 (Nelson Mail 8/4). He hasn’t said yet how many ratepayers are in the support group for this complex. Peter Blasdale mentioned an amount of $41 for each household in Golden Bay. I could be wrong but I think not every household is a ratepayer. He also couldn’t say what the estimated yearly running cost for this complex could be. This could probably be rather high, especially when one wish is for a 25 metre-long heated swimming pool. His just ”79 cents per week” reads like a hire purchase brochure. Buy this, just $…per week or that, only $... per week. In the end one will find out that one has paid in total a lot more than the advertised price.
Look around and one will see that most “entertainment” complexes ended up costing way over the estimated price tag even before they were finished. Spend money on the GB High School pool and use more community halls.
Jan Groen
How to spend 4.2 million..let me think..
Instead of a sports facility why not spend the 4.2 million (that apparently we will lose if we don’t use) to establish a manufacturing business that could employ many people, providing an opportunity for our young adults to return and grow their families.
While there is no doubt recreation increases self esteem, pride and responsibility, work also does these things and the development of mental and physical skills, a sense of belonging, accomplishment and confidence benefits us all. For people to participate in the community they need to have an adequate level of income. While a swimming pool would be great, a this and a that, without paid employment I fear Golden Bay is going to continue to head toward being a playground for the wealthy and a retirement village where the only recreation will be us getting around on our Zimmer frames. Perhaps the profits from this business could then contribute to community recreation and other activities, but that’s another letter.
Linda O’Connor
I believe I note some specious reasoning in arguments for a multi-purpose centre: It shouldn’t matter where the centre is located—if it has been so ordained as inevitable expenditure—as long as the minority of special interest groups using it pay for it.
Regular substance abuse and delinquency are factors of bad/non-parenting. Sports opportunities, clubs, and other school organisations already function with existing facilities. There are political philosophies at play in these issues more than salient arguments. You can take a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink. We already have enough troughs.
Peter Bridgwater
Integrated family health centre
In reply to Liza Eastman’s letter (GBW 21/4):
Has Ministerial approval been granted to the DHB to hand over the hospital and land to the recently formed property trust as its contribution? As advised in last week’s supplement, the Minister will consider this once the Nelson Marlborough District Health Board agrees to the transfer of assets, hopefully at the end of May.
Has the extra land needed been acquired?
Negotiations are underway for the acquisition of neighbouring land.
In GBW 28/1/11 Andrew Swanson-Dobbs said concept, preliminary and then detailed designs (would be developed) over the next six to seven months. Or were resource consent applications lodged by the end of January as previously advertised? We have reached preliminary design stage and will be proceeding to a resource consent application, probably in May. The reason we held off on our original intention to apply in January was so we could develop more detail around the plans, with input from users and staff.
Have the IMG been granted money from any of the three charitable trusts that they applied to? How much local money has been pledged to the project? The local trust, as prospective property owner, has a programme of applications underway as part of raising the community’s contribution. It has received one funding grant and is waiting to hear regarding others. Several local people have indicated support in cash or kind. The trust will be launching its local donations programme in the coming weeks.
When will the property trust be opening their meetings to the public?
The trust is holding its first meeting in a couple of weeks and this will be advertised for people to attend a public forum at the start of the meeting, in the same way people can at Joan Whiting Memorial Trust meetings.
The Integrated Management Group is now six months into the eighteen months of help offered them by the Ministry of Health during which time Joan Whiting gets special financing. Can Martin Ridgeway, the Ministry-appointed project manager, complete the building as promised by mid 2012? If not, we need to seek reassurance from politicians up for election that they will work to enable us to keep our rest home open and our frail elderly close to their families and friends in Golden Bay. The plan is still to complete the facility by mid 2012, though it is dependent on securing approvals and funding – including the community’s contribution.
Integrated Management Group
Wow! Bassackward! Design by dufus! Main entrance via backdoor. Highway driveway, few parking places. Barrier trees in the parking lot. A “Central Street” with hallway profusion; every metre lost workspace. Staffers get Segways or just get fit. People movers for visitors? Miniparks are integrated, like Nelson’s Montgomery Square. Pity patients competing with wheelbarrows of compost. Increased outside wall area leaks heat and is expensive to maintain. Hail the gods of square corners and architectural faddism. Where is functional clustering related to models of care? Where is isolation when Norovirus wipes the rest home and influenza the walk-ins? Where is acknowledgment of community concern?
The IMG and PHO make it perfectly clear: Butt out! Their way, the “only way,” all beetling away “diligently,” wasting scads on meetings, models, consultants, analyses, statements and publicity spin. My discussion <http://gbweekly.co.nz/2009/8/21/whakaaro-an-inconvenient-truth> asks hard questions. All await answers. The PHO has run Golden Bay Medical Centre for a year. Is it better? Faster? More convenient? Less expensive?
Integration may have advantages, but must be right if at all. Finally, where is the fundraising “thermometer” indicating contributions so far? Come on, guys, cut the spin, tell the truth about motives and money. Listen to us. Okay?
Vic Eastman
Easter trading
Why are we still debating the issue of Easter trading (including other trading restrictions based on the Christian religion?) As we become more and more a multicultural/religious society, and statistics indicating the decline in orthodox religions, why have this debate every Easter?
Do we not elect representatives to Parliament to represent the aspirations of the majority? How dare we allow issues of national importance be put to a conscious vote. The conscious vote must go. It is an anathema to the meaning of democratic representation. Why and how was it ever allowed to be a Parliamentary privilege? This issue is not simply the passing of a bill to allow Easter trading (as stated by Hone Harawera) but a bill to abolish the conscious vote. Easter trading is especially given to quote, “certain tourist spots”.
If one examines the marketing blurbs of the Tourism Board, surely the whole of New Zealand is “a tourist spot“. What qualifies a destination under this definition to be a “spot “ or “not a spot”? Hey, Golden Bay is a tourist spot!
Reg Turner
Request for information from TDC
Recently requested information held on file at the TDC offices under the Official Information Act. I was advised this information would be provided at the charge-out fee of $120 per hour. I was under the impression that information using this act was “fee“-free.
Our rates cover a multitude of costs operating this huge multi-million dollar business. We pay for wages and salaries, council office equipment, coffee and tea machines, building maintenance, office computers, paper, copying equipment, filing systems, vehicle expenses, etc.
Knowing wages are covered by our rates, who is earning $130 per hour?
I would assume a request for information held on computer, in a filing system or in a book form would be addressed by a staff member in as quick a time it takes to have a coffee break.
Forty years ago one could go to the local council HQ and obtain almost any information, on almost any subject, with help from a staff member for no fees.
Somehow they (council employees) have forgotten we, who are responsible for their employment, wages and salaries, are collectively their employers. We should be treated as such and not driven “roughshod” over or taken for granted.
Reg Turner
Ed. The above letter was referred to TDC for comment.
Increase in irrigation
Has anyone else noticed the increase in irrigation of the farmland in Golden Bay?
Whilst the dry conditions that our climate is throwing up must concern our farmers, I remain unconvinced that one of the solutions to this challenge is felling every tree on the paddock and installing enormous “pivotal irrigation” systems.
Check out the website images of pivotal irrigation systems and see what I mean. I guess they are efficient and easy to manage but is that the most important issue here?
The drive over the Takaka Hill and down the valley into Takaka township is such a wonderful experience. Our visitors nearly always comment that they enjoy driving through the unique farmland with the paddocks resplendent with their majestic trees, the stock searching them out for shade in all seasons, balancing our landscape beautifully.
Please leave the trees; they are not an inconvenience, they are Golden Bay. Stand Tall.
Lynne Johnston
