Editorial: All our visitors deserve fair go

Freedom campers deserve a fair go too.

They're dirty, they hardly spend any money, so why should we allow them to stay?

In John Cousins' story on page 10 today, Tauranga City Council monitoring officer Paul Mason said the council had received 128 complaints about freedom campers in the past 12 months, with 46 since the start of summer.

Most complaints related to the campers exceeding the vehicle limit at each location and campers not using self-contained vehicles.

Some complaints were about people tenting in reserves.

Why couldn't we extend the vehicle limit over the summer months?

Freedom camping is maligned in this city by residents who don't want these tourists fouling the outlook from their 'northerly aspects'.

But I believe we are taking a short-sighted view.

They are still our visitors, albeit doing it on the cheap, but visitors who will eventually go home and talk to others about their experiences - good and bad.

Those who say they should stay in camping grounds have a point, and we have many fantastic camping amenities here in the Bay. But wouldn't you want the choice to either stay in a camping ground just a few metres away from your nearest neighbour or in some other spot with privacy and tranquillity? Isn't that the point of freedom camping?

Let them use our public amenities. Give them more places to safely and hygienically discharge their waste. Let them have showers and barbecues. Let them do it on the cheap.

If they are obeying the rules and having a good time, what is it to the rest of us?

Deal with them appropriately when they abuse the privilege but set them up to succeed.

When freedom campers are moved along by grumpy locals, what sort of view do you think they will have about our city? That Tauranga is a city that doesn't encourage visitors?

That we like visitors, so long as they stay in motels and camping grounds and out of our view?

We should treat them like any other tourist and hopefully they will come back later in life, spend more money and bring their families with them.