Should freedom camping be allowed?

Most councils have bylaws that allow camping in designated campsites only. File photo / Dannevirke News

Opinion

Gisborne District Council says the East Coast region is one of the "last bastions of freedom camping".

Unrestricted camping spots are available on land that holds no title, just metres from the sea on the rugged and sparsely populated coast.

The council does not charge for freedom camping, but asks that campers pay a permit fee which covers the cost of removing waste.

Most other councils permit camping only in designated camping grounds.

What do you think? Is 'parking-up' to camp around New Zealand a quintessential part of a Kiwi summer? Or is it potentially damaging to the public spaces and dangerous for campers themselves?