Francesca Rudkin: No win for the fun police this week

The Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin

It was great to see the fun police did not win this week - and really cool to see it was partially driven by primary school kids who stood up for the New Zealand way of life. And yes, I’m talking about the right to jump off a jetty!

The Tasman District Council has had to reword a proposed bylaw which would have inadvertently banned swimming or diving off wharfs and jetties following a groundswell of objections, including from Lake Rotoiti School students.

The children pointed out how a ban would crush people’s happiness and the fun they had together. They also questioned who would enforce the law, and my favourite complaint - it was simply a “very dumb idea”.

Lake Rotoiti School principal Mike Allen backed his students, making the point that the jetty jump was at a picturesque tourist hotspot and that he was appalled by the idea of regulating a New Zealand tradition and rite of passage. I couldn’t agree more.

There is much we’re not allowed to do these days. We have become more protective of our children, focusing on what may go wrong rather than learning by living. Sure, you need to use some common sense. Jetty and wharf jumpers shouldn’t be flying off in front of boats or jumping at busy times, and there needs to a good understanding between everyone using the jetty. But surely jumping off stuff is just part of being a Kiwi.

My memories of growing up in New Zealand are filled with making the most of what this gorgeous country has to offer - for free. We spent days walking in National Parks, playing in the surf, jumping off whatever we could, picnicking at reserves. It was a joyful, wholesome way to kill a weekend with family and friends.

And it’s what we’ve continued to do with our kids. If we’re near a jetty and the water is deep, clear and safe – and we’re not in the way of boaties - then we jump.

And jumping isn’t just for kids. As we grow up, we tick off all those grown up milestones - find a partner, buy a house, have kids, and somewhere along the way we stop playing. We forget that its perfectly fine for adults to enjoy the fun stuff in life - like kids do.

I’ve always enjoyed jumping off things, but never as much as doing it with my kids. The cool thing about jumping off a wharf or a jetty is it creates a level playing field. We all share the experience. It’s fun, exhilarating and at times terrifying. I’ve gently encouraged my kids to jump off all sorts of things - and as they’ve grown they have returned the favour, with the challenges getting higher and scarier.

Not everyone likes the common sense approach around issues like this. Some like the idea of regulation. I can understand the council is probably trying to tick off a potential health and safety concern and why this would make things easier for boaties, but everyone should be able to have fun at a lake.

So while some may like to wrap everything up in a rule of regulation, I’m glad kids and adults can continue to legally and simply have some fun in the stunning Nelson Lakes District this summer. As an added bonus, some youngsters have learnt how to make a submission to a council. A nice civics lesson right there.

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