Freedom campers cop $15,000 in fines
More than $15,000 worth of fines have been handed out to illegal freedom campers across Christchurch and Banks Peninsula so far this summer.
But there is nothing stopping overseas travellers from skipping the country without paying the
$200.
During the first six weeks of the season, which started on December 1, Christchurch City Council enforcement officers dished out 75 infringement notices to people breaking freedom camping rules – almost three-quarters of the total number of fines issued during the entire four-month season last year. Last season, between December 1,
2017 and March 31, 2018 the council issued 103 fines. Last year, 62 (60 per cent) of those 103 fines were paid, leaving 41 fines, worth $8200 outstanding. In 2017, 60 per cent were left unpaid.
Sixteen unpaid fines were sent through to the District Court to collect during 2018.
Council regulatory compliance head Tracey Weston said the council did not send more unpaid fines to the court because some had been disputed and later withdrawn, or ‘‘insufficient available to courts.
Ministry of Justice national services delivery group manager Brett Dooley said if a person owing the fines had left New Zealand and the court had their contact details, it could request payment. Some people paid, but others did not. ‘‘Unless the person has money or property in New Zealand, we cannot take further action.’’
Council enforcement officers have been monitoring freedom camping sites across Christchurch and the Banks Peninsula twice a day, seven days a week, since December 1.
The council has received 33 complaints about freedom campers in the six weeks to January 14. Most complaints (28) concerned vehicles that might not be compliant or parked in the wrong area. information’’ was be referred to the