On 6 June 2023 the Government at the time introduced the Self-Contained Vehicles Act 2023. While National and ACT agreed with the intent of the act there were aspects of law they disagreed with. 

To quote Joseph Mooney, National MP for Southland, at the third reading of the Bill, "the requirement to have a fixed toilet will, effectively, punish the 70,000 responsible Kiwis who have suitable portable toilets in their vehicles and use them, leading to the somewhat odd situation of a camper with a fixed toilet, who doesn't use it, not breaking the law, but a camper who has a non-fixed toilet and uses it will be fined."

Hon Todd McClay (National MP for Rotorua) said "What this legislation does punitively, is focus on New Zealanders, who have campervans with portable toilets who are responsible. What it does is say to them, "You can no longer do this, even though you are not causing any harm.", and I think that's the bit that we need to focus on."

An amendment to the Bill (Supplementary Order Paper 356) was tabled by Joseph Mooney to replace clause 44 and make it clear that a vehicle is equipped with a toilet that is either "permanently fixed to the vehicle and usable within the vehicle; or is portable and otherwise meets the requirements set out in regulations".

National committed to amending the law if they came into power.

Sign now to demand that the new administration keep their promise to amend this Act before the relevant provisions of the SCV Act come into force on 7 December 2023.