Freedom Camping Regulations Discussion Document

The NZMCA has accepted the need for more formal regulation of self-containment standards including that of having an official regulator which in current proposals will be the Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board (PGDB).

We anticipate that NZMCA will become a certification authority under the regulations and that we will continue to undertake over 80% of the vehicle inspections and self-containment certifications done in New Zealand. The scope and shape of the regulations and the technical guidance which is associated with these are of critical importance to the Association as we re-configure our self-containment inspections and certification system to comply with these. 

The proposed certification fees of between $91 and $120 every four years are seen to be too high, unjustified and perhaps non-viable. These costs could be reduced to between $60 and $75 if a simpler, more straightforward approach is taken to developing the proposed national register of self-contained vehicles and if PGDB is provided with direct financial support from Government during the transitional period for establishing the new system. 

We believe that the national register should contain only that information required by enforcement officers to ascertain if a vehicle found in a restricted freedom camping spot is legally certified. The simpler the database to support this national register is, the cheaper it will be to build and run so the lower the cost to vehicle owners. 

Further expense and dispute can be cut out of the system if the Government dispenses with its proposal to require a physical warrant card to be displayed in every self-contained certified vehicle. We believe that such display is not necessary for enforcement against non-compliant camping vehicles as the national register can more easily be used for this. The continued requirement for a physical warrant card invites ongoing counterfeiting of these and will unnecessarily cost NZMCA $700,000 in operation costs over the first four years of the new regulatory regime. 

 CLICK HERE for a copy of the NZMCA’s submission on the discussion document.