Motutere Campground

šŸ“‚ Issue: Motutere Campground ā€“ Due Process or Predetermined Outcome?

šŸ“Œ Overview

The Motutere Reserve Management Plan (RMP) review was framed as routine governanceā€”but it quickly revealed something else: a Council process riddled with selective consultation, obscure justifications, and outcomes that appeared locked in from the start.

At stake was one of the most iconic lakeside campgrounds in New Zealand, along with questions of public land use, commercial fairness, and the creeping hand of predetermined decision-making. It got signed off on 18 December 2024 and this is my take on what happened.

āš ļø My Concerns

  • Pre-determined outcome: Staff documents from early 2023 stated the reserveā€™s administration would ā€˜ultimately transfer to a new entity established by the hapÅ«ā€™ before public consultation even began.
  • Pre-determined process: This was put to elected members quite early in the term as something which was already committed to, and that because the existing RMP was ‘very old’ it needed review. However, RMP rarely have expiry dates with this being no exception, and a quite practicable option was for the review not to happen.
  • Campground leaseholder sidelined: The current leaseholderā€”a major overseas investor who revitalized the parkā€”was repeatedly denied clarity or confidence. Being subject to strict requirements of the Overseas Investment Office (OIO), such uncertainty can critically affect financial viability of the campground operation altogether.
  • Ratepayer blind spot: Public cost implications (e.g. lakefront upgrades, pedestrian crossings, SH1 safety measures) were not transparently scoped or disclosed.
  • Exclusion of stakeholders: Holiday park users were denied formal representation on the six-member RMP committee.
  • Procedural opacity: Council ignored motions, muzzled interjections, and my position was mischaracterised in public forums.

šŸ” My Position

This wasnā€™t about rejecting iwi involvement. It was about resisting undemocratic shortcuts, selective transparency, and predetermined outcomes disguised as community governance.

I called for:

  • Inclusion of campground users in the RMP process
  • Clarification on legitimate and legal obligations
  • Immediate lease clarity for the investor at risk

These calls were ignored. And when the final vote came, so was I.

šŸ—“ļø Timeline

  • Feb 2023: Council signs off on RMP review. Staff papers signal intended transfer.
  • Sep 2023: RMP committee formed. Campground users excluded, so I dissent.
  • Jan 2024: Public submissions close. Leaseholder still in limbo.
  • Feb 2024: I table a Notice of Motion for a July deadline for staff to come up with a lease agreement for the campground owner, not supported by other elected members.
  • Dec 18, 2024: Final RMP rubber-stamped, during which the Mayor silences my interjection.

šŸ“‚ Supporting Links

šŸ” Unanswered Questions

What is all of this really going to be costing the ratepayers of Taupo District?

Why was the campground leaseholder never granted clarity about his lease from the time he started operating in 2016?

Who benefits from removing camping activities from the lakeshore, and how does this affect the financial viability of the holiday park?