The Minister of Conservation has put forward proposals that would change the way decisons are made about national parks and conservation land.
Plans are already underway to amend the Conservation Act to modernise land management and support a government priority to unleash economic growth on conservation land.
Now, the Minister has is also proposing changes that would give him sole decision making powers over the conservation estate through a new National Conservation Policy Statement that critics say would strip away democratic process and prioritise commercial interests.
The policy has only gone out for limited consultation at this stage, but the plan would remove the decision making authority of several statutory bodies.
Federated Mountain Clubs, who are on the current decision making body the NZ Conservation Authority, have described the move as unprecedented and a fundamental shift in how conservation land is managed.
