Letter to the Editor Thursday January 30, 2014

Biased and insulting

Your front page article and photo January 23 (Anger over beach campers) has certainly stirred up a hornet's nest, and left me buzzing in anger as well.

It is my opinion and belief that the report is deliberately misleading and further inciting and feeding the anti-campervanners mindset with such biased journalism.

An additional sign has recently been erected by Far North District Council stating "Overnight Camping is permitted on the DOC Reserve beyond the gate at the end of this Reserve". This is the area where the photo was taken of the alleged illegal campers . The inset photo showing rubbish "they" couldn't be bothered taking home was insulting.

Your reporter chose to overlook the new sign and only photographed the old sign. Why?

Perhaps the "anti" brigade and your journalist need to get their facts right ... check out all the tents and see who is queuing for toilets, who is dumping rubbish, who are riding noisy motorbikes, who are driving along the beach at dangerous speeds, narrowly missing walkers and fishing people.

Perhaps a visit to the lovely Coca Cola Lake could give your journalist some more photos of day visitors discarding rubbish and urinating and defecating beside the lake. No? Come on. Let's be fair about this!

Campervanners are generally responsible retired people who have a healthy love and respect for their surroundings and the environment. We are certified self-contained, which means we don't use your toilets.

It is us who daily walk the beach, picking up rubbish discarded by the visiting day people. It is us who drive into your nearby towns so we can refuel, stock up on food, take our rubbish to the re-cycle station, empty our toilets and wastewater into the dump station provided by council. The dollars spent by us help your economy. Is this not a good thing for all?

Most councils around New Zealand are becoming motorhome-friendly, realising the benefits it brings. Freeloaders? I don't think so.

JEANETTE RHODES
Waiheke Island