Heavy rain warnings and adverse weather are affecting much of the North Island, with a State of Emergency declared for Ōtorohanga due to flooding and slips. Rain and gusty winds are forecast for Wellington and surrounding regions over the coming … Continue reading
CORANZ commentaryBy Andi Cockroft, Chair, CORANZ Federated Farmers this week called on the Government to rule out any form of “water tax” in the proposed RMA replacement legislation. Their concern centres on wording in the Natural Environment Bill that would … Continue reading
Opinion by Jack Tuhawaiki In 1919 the Auckland Acclimatisation Society wrote in its annual report, “We shall be doing a great service to the country in stocking these large areas with this valuable and harmless animal.”Today that … Continue reading
CORANZ seasonal post Valentine’s Day doesn’t need roses, restaurants, or ribbons. Sometimes the best way to celebrate is simply to step outside - and share a place you care about. Here are a few simple, low-impact ways to show a … Continue reading
Maitai Bay Shows What Stewardship Can Achieve CORANZ featureBy Andi Cockroft, Chair, CORANZ Eight years ago, local hapū at Maitai Bay on the Karikari Peninsula declared a rāhui - an unofficial no-take fishing ban grounded in tikanga and community responsibility. … Continue reading
New Zealand’s slide down the global corruption rankings has become so predictable it barely causes a stir says political commentator Dr Bryce Edwards, Director of the Democracy Project. Following are some extract “New Zealand has dropped again: from 83 to … Continue reading
This Should Alarm Anyone Who Cares About Rivers CORANZ commentaryBy Andi Cockroft, Chair, CORANZ Recent discussion from NZ First about giving ministers the final say on fast-track project approvals should give anyone with a memory of Canterbury pause. Not because … Continue reading
It’s Important for Our Waters CORANZ commentaryBy Andi Cockroft, Chair, CORANZ Over the past decade, microplastics have shifted from an abstract environmental concern to something that is now routinely detected in water, sediment, and marine life. Scientific papers increasingly report … Continue reading
Two major pieces of legislation are now before Parliament: the Planning Bill and the Natural Environment Bill. Together, they are intended to replace the Resource Management Act and fundamentally reshape how land, water, access, and environmental decisions are made in … Continue reading
Book Review “The Hollows Boys” by Peta Carey, published by Potton and Burton. Price $39.99. Reviewed by Tony Orman “The Hollows Boys” is the story of the commercial venison industry in Fiordland, infamously known as “The Deer Wars” … Continue reading
Guest Post by Dave Rhodes I live in a remote rural area. Narrow country lanes, no streetlights, no traffic to speak of. The nearest village is about eight kilometres away and most nights, driving home means having the road almost … Continue reading
Outdoor Recreation Voices Matter CORANZ commentalryBy Andi Cockroft, Chair, CORANZ Submissions are now open on the Government’s Firearms Amendment Bill. Much of the public discussion so far has focused on firearms themselves - licensing, controls, and compliance. That is understandable. … Continue reading
CORANZ commentaryBy Andi Cockroft, Chair, CORANZ Front-page coverage in The Press of the collapse of native fish in the Rakaia River marks a moment many in the freshwater community have waited a long time to see. It is overdue recognition … Continue reading
Opinion by Garrick Batten Is a goat worth more dead than alive? The Department of Conservation (DoC), the NZ Deerstalkers Association, Hunting and Fishing NZ and the Firearm Safety Authority have recently bragged about killing 13,000 goats during the National Wild Goat … Continue reading
CORANZ commentary Proposals to impose an instant halt on under-16s’ access to social media are usually framed as common sense. Identify harm, remove exposure, problem solved. It’s a familiar pattern. We see it in outdoor policy all the time: risk … Continue reading
An Election-Year Question for Outdoor New Zealand Guest Post by Dave Rhodes One of the more disciplined and effective pieces of advocacy circulating this election year comes from LegaSea (see https://legasea.co.nz/). Whether or not one agrees with every position they … Continue reading
Press release: NZ Game Animal Council Over the last six months the NZ Game Animal Council (GAC) has been engaging with Minister Hoggard, Minister Meager, and directly with the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), about the need for meaningful hunter … Continue reading
by Ben Hope Government moves with discussion documents and legislation passed in late December strongly suggests public estate in conservation land will be put up for sale to the highest bidder. A paper “Modernising Conservation Land Management” proposals said that … Continue reading
By Andi Cockroft, Chair, CORANZ Wellington’s south coast is one of the city’s great assets. It is wild, accessible, biologically rich, and-on paper-protected. The Taputeranga Marine Reserve was established to allow marine life to recover and flourish, and to provide … Continue reading
Will the Pain Be Worth the Gain? By Andi Cockroft, Chair, CORANZ As a now-retired tech professional, I’ve spent a lifetime watching systems designed with good intentions collide with human ingenuity. That background leaves me sceptical of claims that any … Continue reading
