The Government’s Conservation Amendment Bill, which passed its first reading in Parliement last month, would enable to sale of up to 60% of current conservation land and also allow more economic activity on land unavailable for sale.
In Hawke’s Bay, the areas jeopardised include the Kawekas, Ruahines, Ahuriri Estuary, Maraetotara Falls, Otatara Pa, Boundary Stream. The only Hawke’s Bay DOC land not being flogged seems to be the Cape Kidnappers gannet sanctuary.
Under current legislation it is only possible to sell some categories of conservation land if it has no, or very low, conservation value. Forest & Bird argues the Bill would widen that and make the test much weaker, essentially only requiring Ministers keep land that is important to threatened species or ecosystems, or if the habitat is one of the best examples of its type in that ecological region.
Forest & Bird has issued a series of maps indicating the areas that could be on the auction block.
“These maps show the scale of what’s at stake,” says Richard Capie, Forest & Bird’s Group Manager for Conservation Advocacy and Policy. “We wanted to be very clear, because it seems almost unbelievable. Your local reserve, your favourite holiday spot, beaches, forests, and iconic landscapes – they could be at risk of being sold.”
In case anyone is wondering why Green Party support has shot up in most recent polling, here’s one possible reason. Perhaps MPs Wedd and Nimon can explain why this is good news for Hawke’s Bay.
Submissions on the bill close 2 July. More explanation from Forest & Bird here. You can make a submission here.
A great example of mischief making from Forest & Bird…they have shown to be masters at this ‘skill’.
Sadly Daniel, what Forest and Bird have highlighted is just the tip of iceberg. Under the Conservation Amendment Bill changes are proposed that would allow commercial activity to occur on the current conservaton estate to the maximum extent possible under this and related acts (National Parks excepted) which puts DOC in a tricky position IMO. DOCs role in managing and improving the conservation estate should be exactly that, not a wider mandate that requires it to consider economic activity. The latter should be left to other depts, with the appropriate tension existing between them.
Opening up conservation land – all our treasured places – for sale is only half the problem here. This bill changes the purpose of the land from “conservation” – these are the actual words from the bill – to “enable economic use and development to the greatest extent practicable”. Instead of looking after our wild places, they want to squeeze every dollar they can out of nature. I think it’s possibly the most un-Kiwi bill ever.
At least Forest and Bird have highlighted the land grab by this Government and their moneyed mates – even just the thought of having DOC land sold off is abhorrent regardless of whether it actually goes under the hammer. This Government and its local MPs have finally lost my votes completely
I wonder what the powelliphanta patrickensis on the Denniston plateau think of this…guess they can live on in peace ☮️
If this bill goes throughh it will be the nail in the coffin for many of Aotearoa’s iconic species. When is this onslaught on the natural environment going to stop? What a record to hold:
Fast Track Approvals Act – bypassing environmental protections
Blocking Climate lawsuits
Allowing deer into National Parks
Resource Management reforms that again bypass environmental protections and suspend local council requirements to protect SNAs (significant natural areas)
Reinstate offshore oil and gas exploration
Adjust emissions targets
Weaken freshwater protection
Scrapped clean car policy
Disestablishing the Ministry for the Environment
Repealing climate laws
I wonder what else they can squeeze in before November?
Lynne Anderson