Recreation Access New Zealand 18 February 2007

Government should sack land access group.

Government should disband its ineffectual land access group and get on with implementing its election promises.

This is the key message of a new national campaign set up to further public access to the outdoors, and to hold to account public authorities for their management of recreational lands.

Bruce Mason, spokesman for Recreation Access New Zealand, said that Labour is rapidly running out of time.

"Government allowed former Rural Affairs Minister Jim Sutton to hijack Labour's election policies. This badly backfired, as it caused a massive rural backlash. Consequently government's plans ground to a halt. Sutton's hand-picked successors have delivered nothing for months and seem incapable of doing so."

"After three terms of unfulfilled promises to the electorate, Labour is becoming known as the party promising the most but delivering the least," Mr. Mason said.

There are plenty of actions Government could take to improve public access to the outdoors. Most of these do not require legislative change. Mr. Mason submitted comprehensive proposals to Government three years ago.

There is no need for a special group or committee to do Government's work. What is needed is for the Ministers of Local Government, Conservation, and Lands to exercise their existing powers and to show some initiative. What they should aim to achieve is already set out in their election policies.

Recreation Access New Zealand advocates 'minimum impact' recreation over New Zealand's public lands and waters. It relies on research and clear objectives as the basis for its advocacy.

The will to undertake research has been lost from Public Access New Zealand, a formerly prominent advocate for public rights. Mr. Mason founded PANZ in 1992, but resigned in 2005. The new campaign will have a broader role than PANZ.

Pressures from the tourism sector, and destructive activity by many motorised recreationists, will receive particular attention from the new campaign.

Ill-considered use of vehicles is severely impacting on the environmental integrity of the outdoors. "We are tying to avoid responsible vehicle users from being excluded from public lands. Other recreationists deserve the opportunity to enjoy natural quiet, in areas free of vehicles."

"Recreation Access New Zealand will be promoting sound policy making and management practices including zoning over public lands and waters. Currently this is woefully inadequate," Mr. Mason concluded.

A comprehensive website has been launched www.recreationaccess.org.nz

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