The Environmental Defence Society (EDS) has today filed its submission on the Conservation Amendment Bill, welcoming the Government’s decision to abandon the controversial conservation land exchange and disposal provisions, while warning that several significant issues remain unresolved.
“The Minister deserves credit for listening to the extraordinary public response to this Bill,” says EDS Chief Operating Officer, Shay Schlaepfer.
“The decision to withdraw the land exchange and disposal provisions and undertaking to amend the ‘economic clauses’ removes some of the biggest threats to the conservation estate. But there is still considerable work to do before this Bill is fit to become law.
“The Bill contains many worthwhile reforms that modernise an outdated conservation management system and improve the way the Department of Conservation manages public conservation land.
“But conservation must remain the overriding objective of the legislation, conservation plan-making and the concessions framework.
“Our principal concern is with the economic clauses. As currently drafted, they elevate economic use and development without making it clear that those activities must always remain subordinate to enduring conservation outcomes.
“We have worked constructively with Minister Potaka and have proposed alternative drafting that would allow appropriate economic activity where it is consistent with conservation.
“EDS is also seeking significant amendments to the proposed visitor amenity area provisions. Strategic planning for visitor facilities is sensible. But the Bill currently gives the Minister extraordinarily broad powers to establish activities in visitor amenity areas that override existing statutory protections and conservation planning.
“Those powers need stronger safeguards, greater public oversight and clearer legal limits.
“EDS also recommends improvements to the Bill’s new planning and concessions framework, including:
“Reforming the conservation system is overdue, but it has to strengthen conservation rather than weaken it.
“We believe these remaining issues are capable of being resolved through the Select Committee process. If they are addressed, this Bill has the potential to deliver the modern, efficient conservation management system New Zealand needs,” concludes Ms Schlaepfer.
More Shay Schlaepfer shay@eds.org.nz 027 946 8079
Read EDS’ submission here.