THE CAPE BRETT TRACK - A CASE OF INJUSTICE

An unfair / unjust situation exists with respect to the charging of track fees and the management of the Cape Brett walking track in Northland. We need your support please.

The situation. 

The Cape Brett walking track is owned by three groups: Maori, DOC, and us (i.e. Julian Batchelor and his family). When track walkers enter the Cape Brett walking track at Oke Bay, they are walking across Julian Batchelor's private land. All walkers pay DOC a fee to walk the track. In most cases this fee is $40. The fees collected are divided up between Maori and DOC, who both own the rest of the track after Julian's place. Yet Julian and his family get no share of the $40. We think this is unfair / unjust. In fact, it's absolutely wrong.

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If you are pushed for time, and want to understand the situation quickly, here are five questions to ask DOC which go straight to the heart of the issue.  

1. Have you been using the land at the Oke Bay entrance to the Cape Brett Track for 28 years without paying the owner of that private land for its use? Answer - yes, DOC has been using the land at Oke Bay, the start of the Cape Brett track, without paying for that use. This situation has existed for 28 years.
2. Are any of the fees you collect from walkers who pay to walk the Cape Brett Track given to the given to Julian Batchelor and his family? Answer - no. 
3. Do you advertise on your web site that you use the fees you collect from walkers is given to private land owners to maintain their land? Answer - Yes, DOC advertises on their website that the fees collected from walkers goes to private land owners to maintain their land. Julian Batchelor and his family are private land owners who own part of the Cape Brett track, yet DOC gives them nothing. 
4. Is DOC paying Maori for the use of their land but not paying Julian Batchelor and his family for the use of their land? Answer - yes DOC is paying Maori for the use of their land, but not Julian Batchelor and his family for the use of their land.

DOC has been well aware of this situation since 1994.  That is to say, they have been profiting from the use of our land, the land in and around Oke Bay, without paying for the benefit of that use for nearly 30 years. Yet we pay over $4000 a year in rates on the piece of land that walkers are using.

Imagine DOC advertising that people can walk through your home, charging people for the privilege, and then not giving you any of the revenue. How would you feel? This is our situation.