Changes are underway to conservation land management says Minister of Conservation Rama Potaka who calls it “the most significant reform of conservation legislation in nearly 40 years”.
The Minister said there is a lot of out-of-date planning documents describing it as ”loose goosey”.
The amendment bill will provide clearer rules for granting concessions develop a new document – a National Conservation Policy Statement – to manage all conservation land (replacing existing, separate management plans for conservation land and national parks) and introduce access fees for international visitors.
Conservation spokespeople from both Labour and the Greens have condemned this move.
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Tama Potaka
I have been very disappointed in Tama Potaka’s performance as a Minister of Conservation. I am very suspicious of this government’s series of amendment bills being rammed through. The Fisheries Amendment Bill is bad law due to another poor minister Shane Jones.
I like to consider myself as a rational “greenie” unlike the current Green Parety. What happened to the ideals of true greenies like Jeanette Fitzsimmons and Rod Donald?
Without a credible Green Party the environment is open to plundering with the likes of Chris Bishop and Shane Jones driving government policies.
So I view with deep suspicion the motives of Tama Potaka’s amendment bill. He seems more AWOL than serving as minister.