An 80-year-old freedom camper fined $400 for staying an extra night at a New Plymouth campsite during severe weather may no longer have to pay the infringement, with the city's mayor saying he will cover the cost himself through a council fund.
The move comes after 1News.co.nz reported on the story last weekend. Bill McMurray had been issued the fine in February after exceeding the three-night limit at the Lake Rotomanu freedom camping site.
The pensioner argued he stayed because strong winds made it unsafe to drive his 7m-long motorhome elsewhere. MetService records showed gusts in New Plymouth reached up to 100km/h that day,
Despite months of appeals, the New Plymouth District Council (NPDC) upheld the infringement, saying McMurray could have parked elsewhere in the district or used a commercial campground.
"I was an emotional wreck," McMurray previously said. "The pension is my only income.”
Approached by 1News, New Plymouth mayor Max Brough said he has now reviewed the case and disagrees with the council's decision to uphold the fine.
"I understand how we've gotten to this point, but I'm not sure that I agree on a personal level," he said.
Brough said he had not been closely involved in the matter until recently, noting he was unable to review every infringement issued by the council.
"Mr McMurray came to me way back at the start. I can't get involved with every ticket that comes in, there's tens of thousands of tickets."
Brough would not overturn the infringement but said he would use the David Lean Memorial Mayoral Relief Fund — a fund that provides assistance to individuals experiencing hardship, at the mayor's discretion — to cover the cost.
He said the case highlighted the challenges of applying blanket rules to individual circumstances.
"We've had a discussion with the senior staff about how we could apply some discretion at times when it's really needed."
The council will review its freedom camping policy later this year, Brough added, including whether the current rules allow enough flexibility when safety concerns arise.
In a statement, an NPDC spokesperson said the council was always willing to cancel infringement notices if campers provided a reasonable explanation, but said its review of McMurray's case "gave us no reason to cancel it".
"Our staff do their best to inform and advise campers of the rules around freedom camping. We’re always looking at how we enforce our bylaws, and we’ll consider this case in that process," it said.
Camper welcomes outcome
McMurray said he was "very pleased" to hear of the mayor's decision to cover the infringement.
"It's pretty awesome news. It really builds up my faith in people," he said.
The 80-year-old said he never expected to receive the ticket after deciding it was safer to stay put than drive in the conditions.
When asked if he would've done the same thing again, McMurray was unequivocal.
"That's dead right. I absolutely would."
He said the council deciding to review its freedom camping rules was one of the most significant outcomes to come from the saga.
"The fact that he [the mayor] is going to look into it is a very big one, as far as I'm concerned," McMurray said.
"At least this situation has brought it to his attention, and he's going to do something about it now."
McMurray also thanked members of the public who offered to pay the fine on his behalf after hearing of the ordeal. A number of people contacted TVNZ with generous offers following the coverage.
"I'm glad that the public feels the same way that I do."
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