'Toothless' Walking Access Commission under fire

The Walking Access Commission was accused at a Nelson region meeting yesterday of being a toothless tiger.

A meeting room at the Tasman District Council office in Richmond was packed with 30 people who came to give feedback to the commission. It was the second in a series of meetings around New Zealand. The eight-member commission, formed last year, has drafted a national strategy on walking access and an outdoor access code. In the next year, it will produce a mapping system online showing the public where they have the right to go throughout New Zealand.

Nelson Marlborough Fish and Game manager Neil Deans asked what legal clout the commission had. Commission chairman Jon Acland said it did not have any, but it could sit around the table on issues.

Commission chief executive Mark Neeson said its credibility would rest on being unbiased and not promoting the views of one organisation or sector over another. "We want to be a broad church," he said.

Nelson Marlborough Fish and Game council member Paul Hedwig said: "It sounds like a huge toothless tiger."

Mr Neeson said a decision had been taken at a political level that the commission would not have coercive powers.

Mr Acland said: "Let's get some runs on the board and see how it is in five to seven years.

"If it has ground to a halt, the Government of the day will have some legislation."

Stoke farmer Julian Raine said people went through his property without permission, causing issues such as not closing gates.

"I'm interested to know how you educate the public," he said.

Mr Acland said the mapping would show people where they could go, which would reduce the desire for them to wander into other areas.

Mr Deans said Fish and Game produced access maps and tried to resolve access issues with landowners on a case-by-case basis, which sometimes worked. When an issue needed to addressed, there needed to be a range of options, such as signs.

It would also be useful to standardise signs, so that the same symbols and terminology were used by various organisations.

It was also suggested that the code be printed in languages other than English.

Commissioner Brian Stephenson said they were also looking at giving information to visitors at airports as the point of entry into New Zealand.

Forest and Bird regional field officer Debs Martin told the commissioners the organisation had come up against instances where landowners had dug up land to stop people from gaining access.

She asked whether the commission would look at a high level of input to ensure that it was able to retain access. "I think it is a fundamental issue across New Zealand," she said.

Mr Neeson said the commission was working at central Government level to bring equality and have a common approach.

Its draft documents are at walkingaccess.org.nz. Submissions close on December 18.

- © Fairfax NZ News