Outdoor Walking Access Report to the Minister for Rural Affairs

WALKING ACCESS
CONSULTATION PANEL

Requests for printed copies should be directed to:

Policy Publications
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
PO Box 2526
Wellington
New Zealand

Tel: +64 4 894 0252
Email: policy.publications@maf.govt.nz

ISBN: 978-0-478-29876-5 (Print)

ISBN: 978-0-478-29877-2 (Online)

© Crown copyright 2007

This document may be copied for non-commercial purposes providing its source is acknowledged.

Disclaimer: The information in this publication is not government policy. While every effort has been made to ensure the information in this publication is accurate, the members of the Walking Access Consultation Panel and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry do not accept any responsibility or liability for error of fact, omission, interpretation or opinion that may be present, nor for the consequences of any decisions based on this information. Any view or opinion expressed does not necessarily represent the view of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.

Foreword

This the second time I have chaired a committee of committed and talented people to bring to the Government a report on how New Zealanders might have walking access to the great outdoors that is free, certain, enduring and practical. I want to thank the Hon Damien O’Connor and his Government for having the faith in us to tackle this issue again.

The first report, Walking Access in the New Zealand Outdoors, laid the groundwork for this report. The Walking Access Consultation Panel seeks to build on the traditional goodwill of the past. We believe this report reflects a consensus that common-sense solutions based on voluntary negotiation are needed. This report is not about a right to roam or about taking rights over private land. Rather, it is about finding where the access is now, where people need access and then ensuring access is in the right place and that all parties agree to the outcome.

The Panel promotes local solutions and community engagement. It recommends that an organisation be established to provide leadership at the national level and encourages people to work with it to “get some runs on the board”. I am aware personally of situations where I believe people have been unreasonable about giving access. There will be times when process proposed in this report won’t succeed, but there is still plenty to do over the next 10 years. You will appreciate that when you read our report.

Access to the great outdoors is part of New Zealand’s culture and national identity. Having listened to people throughout the country at our meetings and having read close to 1400 submissions, I hear people saying that they want and expect fair and reasonable access to rivers, the coastline, lakes and public land. This report endeavours to reflect those sentiments. I, on behalf of the Panel, want to thank all those who went to the meetings and made written submissions.

The Panel also thanks Mark Neeson, Hunter Donaldson, Misty Skinner and Sheryl Harding for the dedicated effort they have given to this report. The Panel also expresses its appreciation and gratitude to Brian Hayes for his extremely thorough research on access matters relating to water margins and unformed legal roads. Brian’s research has made a significant contribution to our understanding of some very complex legal issues.

The other members of the Panel acknowledge the reasons for the alternative views held by one Panel member, Bryce Johnson. They do not, however, agree that his alternative recommendations are necessary to make progress, and note that he supports the majority of the report.

It is my sincere belief that this report will help to achieve the aim of providing free, certain, enduring and practical access for everyone who lives in this wonderful country.

John Acland
Chair of the Walking Access Consultation Panel
Mount Peel Station, Peel Forest
February 2007