Hamilton Public Meeting 20 October 2003
Ruakura, McMeekan Centre
7pm to 9pm
60 Attended
Commentary
· Please explain the Queen's Chain - is it a legal entity?
- Who owns the land in the Queen's Chain?
- Is it not in the ownership of the adjoining landowner?
· Raglan Rambler Group: There are many unformed roads e.g., in Raglan, from the town centre to the mountain.
- You emphasised riverside access, but there are also ridges - please comment.
· Outdoor Recreation Party: Why focus on foot access?
- Surely you want to drive to the park and then walk?
- If you are providing access it must be practical.
· Resource Use Association: We have the RMA.
- Get rid of the RMA, OSH and we might allow access.
- People come late at night to use the phone - I am tired of people walking on my land, leaving gates open etc.
· There should be a curfew, 10-11pm or half an hour before dusk.
· From own experience, historically had clear access to public land/reserve.
- Farmers have now blocked proper legal access to DOC land.
· Owners of land are caretakers, for a period of time.
- Pleased that you are not considering the right to roam.
- In Britain the walkways have affected the landuse.
- There must be some consideration given for fixed access not to be lost but to be made flexible.
- Education is important, as changes are occurring in society.
- A code of conduct is a good political move, but how do you police or enforce it?
- Need serious controls over this.
· Property needs to be respected, likewise, DOC huts - which are being trashed.
· If you settle under tenure review and your land is sold - are these access rights protected in perpetuity? [Yes].
· King Country farmer with riparian rights: Allow river usage because you cannot stop people.
- There needs to be controls on firearms.
- Has problems with the speed of boats on rivers, would be interested in legislation controlling boat use on all rivers.
· Farmer: Has been involved in walkways since the 1970s.
- Have only had one problem in that time.
- There are still marijuana growers, but otherwise the experience has been positive.
- Walkways take the pressure off private land.
- Many people are frightened of the outdoors and if things are well sign-posted they are no trouble.
- Want to get people into the country so that urban people have more sympathy for rural issues - it must start with the young people.
· Gerry Eckhoff: Need to understand the importance of property rights.
- It is very useful for the development of the country - people need to enjoy the outdoors.
- Allows access when people ask, but wants to retain the right to say no.
- The report could be used as a platform for doing unhelpful things e.g., the right to roam.
- His wife is at home in a remote area, so security is important to him.
- Concerned at `predators', no legislation will stop this - but legislation could make it easier for them.
- Asks for a consideration for rights of those who own land who wish to exclude people - DOC excludes people from special areas.
· Tramper and farmer: Farm adjoins Maungatautari reserve.
- Also leases land with public access.
- In the last 7 tramps he has run into private land issues and in some cases there was nothing to indicate that it is private land with historical access where the situation changes - if they had known before they got there would not have gone there.
- Have always allowed access on request and have had no trouble except recently people coming with dogs at lambing time.
- Vehicles, motorbikes and 4WD are a bane - they think that they can do what they like.
- Walkers are never a problem.
- Security is an increasing problem with dope growers etc.
- Make it access by permission only.
- Problems with their private bush that runs into DOC's with no fence, so he does not worry about it.
- No problem with people on foot, all access to Maungatautari is on private land.
- Need an agency telling people where they can and cannot go and the phone numbers of who to ring to ask permission.
· Expects that farmers would respond positively if someone asks permission to walk through private land.
· What size waterway is required to get a Queen's Chain?
· Dairy farmer: The `surveyor's leap' is a woolly way to set up legislation.
- A commercial farm was redefined as a workplace by OSH - this made a big difference - now have to be very wary of who goes onto the land.
- As a result, have the problems with access being over-legislated.
- De facto nationalisation of land by stealth - restricting what farmers can do with their land.
- This needs to be sorted out, otherwise the land access issue would only be a further legislative thorn in the side of farmers.
· Allowed people on land to see glow-worms - one of the guys broke his leg (had been drinking) - he was not liable as the person was driving with his bike light off.
· Farmer: Access for commercial interests e.g. guided tours, hunting guides, not just recreation.
· Gerry Eckhoff: Summer fires are an issue in the South Island.
- Farmers were told that they were liable unless they could prove otherwise.
· Fish & Game: There is exclusive capture of waterways by landowners, occurring in 3 or 4 places in the North Island.
- In some cases landowners have the right to shut off access.
- In favour of extending the Queen's Chain.
- Will the report's recommendations include indigenous land in the central North Island?
· Isn't it a farmer's right to grant exclusive access?
· Fish & Game: No one is asking for the right to roam.
- Aucklanders are buying exclusive access to the fishing.
- District councils in rural areas are closing off esplanades e.g. Otorohanga - this is appalling.
- The council owns it and should have tagged the leases to ensure continued access.
- The Otorohanga District Council does not have the financial resources to ensure access e.g., esplanade reserves on subdivision.
- It is not interested in ensuring access.
- Rural councils have the same problems as urban councils.
· This discussion is about access without accountability.
- In Japan you have to pay for fishing.
- Access is restricted due to dumping, stealing and rubbish.
· Pig hunter: Access to farmland is dependent on landowners, by contact and agreement.
- This promotes a higher degree of responsibility rather than open slather, where people are less mindful.
· You have talked about land access, what about the waterbody itself?
· Lakeside farmer: Has a lot of access for hunting.
- With modern technology (GPS), have concerns about the maintenance of access e.g., even of beaches.
- There are compliance costs on everything that we are doing e.g., rubbish and maintenance.
- Experience with families seeking access - the first generation shows respect for the privilege, the second generation does not and considers it a right.
· Martin Gallagher: Are there district councils that are good examples of council initiatives?
- My kids/grandkids will have to face a political lobby such as is in England for the right to roam.
- Need to address the issues now.
- Waikato is fundamentally different from the South Island and this must be accounted for.
Contact for Enquiries
Rural Affairs Coordinator
Sector Performance Policy
MAF Policy
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
PO Box 2526
Wellington
NEW ZEALAND
Phone: +64 4 894 0675
Fax: +64 4 4 894 0745
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