Naked swimmers at Taupō public reserve deserve fines, mother says

Hollie Payne, 13, her mother Katrina Payne and mother's partner Cain Liddington. Photo / Laurilee McMichael

Skinny dippers cooling off in Taupō have caused heated debate over what families can bear and swimmers can bare.

Local mother Katrina Payne was "horrified" to see 14 naked men and women at a popular swimming spot on Monday night and said they deserved to be fined.

They were swimming at Spa Thermal Park, a public reserve in need of a 'g-string ban' according to other concerned Taupō mothers who spoke to NZME this month about what they and their children were seeing at the popular riverside spot.

Payne, a former Taupō District Council employee, was at the park at 10pm with her 13-year-old daughter Hollie.

There were two naked swimmers there initially, and Payne says they were "trying to make trouble and being smart" when she spoke to them.

"We'd left a little light on to keep an eye on our stuff ... One woman asked me to go and turn the light off and I said 'I'm happy to do that as long as you cover-up in the water. I've got my daughter here'."

As Payne got out of the water with her daughter, another 12 swimmers came down the hill "undressed", half of whom were men.

"They were in the water only knee-deep, right in front of my daughter, I just thought it was disgraceful... They thought it was funny as."

Payne said she felt the behaviour was "disrespectful" and she wanted to tell the group to put some clothes on but she didn't want to cause a stir in front of her daughter.

"She [Hollie] wasn't impressed ... We were quite shocked really. It would just be like people walking around naked in the street, how many people are going to accept that?"

She reinforced that the group were not wearing g-strings, they were totally naked.

She praised the council for putting in new facilities including "pretty good" changing rooms at the site, however, she also wanted to see signs installed saying "no nudity".

The redevelopment at Spa Park in 2018. Photo / Heather Mickelson

"I think there should be something in place so they get fined. That's why they have the nudity beaches in a certain spot."

New Zealand Naturist Federation president Wendy Lowe said she had been to the Spa Thermal Park before.

"If there was no one around we stripped off; if a group was already there we would walk up the small side stream to find a quiet spot."

She said the federation would "certainly not support banning nudity" there.

Lowe said the legality of nudity in public places was determined by people's actions.

"People should consider the time, place and circumstances before stripping off."

She said beaches and rivers were generally acceptable places for people to be naked.

"It would generally not be acceptable to walk down the street, although even then context should be considered. Nudity at World Naked Bike Ride is accepted as it is an organised protest event."

The Taupō District Council said in a statement it had not received any complaints about nudity at Spa Thermal Park.

"Indecency is something dealt with by police and there are no plans to implement signage at this stage."

A police spokeswoman said, "there is no specific offence for being naked in public".

"However, anyone who is concerned for their safety or the safety of others should contact police. Each incident of nudity reported to police will be dealt with on a case by case basis."

She said some circumstances could be considered offensive behaviour in the Summary Offences Act, or indecent exposure when someone "in or within view of any public place, intentionally and obscenely exposes any part of his or her genitals".

Other circumstances can be considered an indecent act in a public place, under the Crimes Act.

Kinloch father Jason McIver disagreed with the nudity concerns and those other mothers expressed about g-strings last week.

He said the human body was "an amazing creation" and "something everyone has under their clothes".

"Nudity is natural."

However, Taupō father-of-two Elpaal Abitub told NZME "nudity of private parts is sacred" and he would also feel offended in Payne's situation.

"G-strings I feel are okay and if a woman feels good wearing one good on her... Fully naked is not on."