Stewart Island visitor levy backed

BY EVAN HARDING

A proposal to charge people a fee to visit Stewart Island has gained initial support in Parliament.

However, some politicians fear a Stewart Island visitor levy could set a precedent for other tourist spots to follow suit, resulting in tourists opting out of coming to New Zealand.

Invercargill MP Eric Roy's Stewart Island Visitor Levy Empowering Bill had its first reading in Parliament yesterday afternoon, with nine MPs from four parties all giving their support. But some of that support was conditional.

If the bill was passed it would give the Southland District Council the power to charge visitors to Stewart Island.

Mr Roy proposes a fee of about $5 to be charged to each visitor to the island. The fee would be used to help pay for infrastructure on the island that is used by more than 36,000 visitors each year.

Mr Roy said in Parliament yesterday if levies could be charged to island visitors, then the infrastructure needs of the island could be met.

"It's necessary on Stewart Island because ... there are 451 ratepayers and it's totally impractical to expect that ratepayer base to provide those facilities."

Labour Party List MP David Parker said his party would support the bill going to the select committee, but with some reservations.

If a visitor levy was allowed on Stewart Island other tourist spots with similar issues would want do do the same thing.

He called for the views of government agencies including the Ministry of Economic Development and Ministry of Tourism, saying the issues needed to be looked at very carefully.

Waitaki MP Jacqui Dean said the bill could provide a good solution to the infrastructure problems facing Stewart Island ratepayers.

She agreed a visitor levy could set a precedent, "but is that necessarily a bad thing?"

Labour Party tourism spokesman Kelvin Davis said he saw both sides of the argument, but was concerned other New Zealand tourist spots would also impose visitor levies which could impact on people deciding to travel to New Zealand.

"If a precedent was set with these levies it may increase the cost of holidays to New Zealand."

Green Party MP Sue Kedgley said visitors should be paying a small levy to help with the upkeep of Stewart Island which was a New Zealand treasure.

"I think it's totally untrue that a $5 levy will stop people from going to Stewart Island."

Maori Party Te Tai Tonga MP Rahui Katene said her party hoped the levy would enable Stewart Island to remain beautiful.

The bill would now go to the Local Government Environment Select Committee, where public submissions would be called for.

- © Fairfax NZ News