Most oppose right to stroll across farms

Nine out of 10 New Zealanders oppose giving people an automatic right to stroll across farmers' land, a Herald-DigiPoll survey has found.

The poll finding has been welcomed by Federated Farmers, which is opposing Government plans to make farmers let people on to their land if it borders a "significant" waterway.

Rural Affairs Minister Jim Sutton said the survey results were not surprising, as they reflected Government policy.

Mr Sutton last year announced plans to open access to lakes, creeks and rivers.

Under the proposals, farmers will have to allow people on to their land if they can reach five-metre pathways beside water from a public area such as a road.

Farmers will retain property rights over the strip, but will not be compensated for the public use of their land.

The new pathways will be created if a waterway is deemed to have "significant" values.

People will not be able to take guns, dogs, bikes or vehicles on to the paths.

But the Government has stepped back from compelling farmers to provide access routes to the waterways.

Instead, that will be negotiable, and landowners may be paid compensation.

Federated Farmers opposes any proposal which takes away landowners' right to control who walks on their property.

President Tom Lambie said farmers would talk about negotiated improvements to public access, but not Government compulsion.

He said his organisation was "obviously extremely pleased" with the poll results.

"One of the fundamental tenets of New Zealand society is secure title, and people respect that whether you're an urban or a rural person."

While the Government talked about the rights of people to walk along waterways, it also had to respect the rights of property owners "whether you have a quarter-acre section or 10,000 hectares in the high country", he said.

Mr Sutton said large areas of waterways were not open to people for the public resources of water and fish.

The five-metre strips would be developed through a Government agency over several years.

"This is a decision to enhance walkers' access, not a right to intrude on people's homes or business buildings," he said.

"This policy is quite clear. It is about people walking along waterways, not walking across farmers' land to get to the waterways."

The survey found 87.5 per cent of the 1000 people polled were against people being given rights to cross privately owned rural land.

And 22.5 per cent of people asked thought farmers should be allowed to shoot trespassers, although 73.5 per cent rejected the idea.

"That's probably good as well," Mr Lambie said.

Outdoor Recreation Association spokesman Hugh Barr said the poll reflected New Zealanders' desire to abide by trespass laws.

"Would you be wanting someone to go through your backyard? The answer is no."

The survey also asked if mountain bikers should be allowed to use walking tracks in national parks - a proposal being considered by the Conservation Authority.

Most people opposed the the idea.

Mountain Bike New Zealand spokesman Guy Wynn-Williams challenged the poll's sample and question, and said it contradicted the findings of people who used parks.

The poll of 1000 adults was conducted between November 19 and 27, before the Government announced its land access policy.