Perth Valley, West Coast by Chad Cottle /
Supplied
The purpose of our public
conservation land is conservation
“The
purpose of the conservation estate and the Department of
Conservation is in its name: Conservation,” says FMC
President Megan Dimozantos, responding to the government’s
proposed changes to conservation law, including the
introduction of access charges. “We don’t yet know
enough detail behind these announcements to signal support
or otherwise. We have significant concerns about the
rhetoric of uninhibited economic growth on the conservation
land— that could undermine conservation values, restrict
public access, and see parts of our conservation estate up
for land disposals.”
On Saturday, the government
announced conservation reform proposals, building on a
public consultation held by DOC earlier this year. FMC
supports a streamlined legislative framework in principle,
but strongly opposes removing the New Zealand Conservation
Authority (NZCA) from the approval process for key planning
documents. The NZCA is vital in ensuring decisions about
public conservation land are transparent, robust, and
reflect a broad range of perspectives. We do not support a
system that concentrates decision-making solely in the hands
of the Minister.
FMC is deeply concerned about
proposals that could enable the disposal or development of
public conservation land—including conservation parks and
stewardship land—without adequate safeguards. With only
40% of the estate fully protected, vast areas such as Forest
Parks and Conservation Parks could be opened up to
inappropriate development. FMC supports efficient concession
processes, but not at the expense of properly assessing
impacts on conservation and recreation.
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We
welcome the government’s commitment that Kiwis won’t be
charged to access their backyard—but questions remain
about how access charging will work in practice. How
visitors will be identified, compliance enforced, and
whether revenue will exceed costs remain unclear. Freedom of
access for Kiwis should be protected in legislation, and any
revenue raised must be legally ringfenced for reinvestment
in the places it comes from.
FMC
submitted on both the modernisation and access charging
proposals earlier this year and looks forward to engaging
further. “While we support some elements in principle, we
remain concerned about the broader direction signaled by
this announcement,” says Dimozantos. “Public
conservation law exists first and foremost to protect the
land—not to serve as a platform for economic
growth.”
