Prime Minister Christopher Luxon wants to make concessions easier to obtain. Photo: RNZ / Giles Dexter
A major overhaul of conservation land law has sparked sharp criticism, with Forest & Bird accusing the government of gutting longstanding protections in favour of commercial interests.
The government's intended changes to the Conservation Act, unveiled at the National Party conference in Christchurch on Saturday, aims to "unleash growth" by increasing the number of concessions - or permissions - granted to businesses wishing to operate on conservation land.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said many businesses already run on conservation land, but the current regime was "totally broken", with concessions "often taking years to obtain or renew".
However, Forest & Bird said the Bill's changes will shift the focus of conservation law "from protection to exploitation".
"This is not conservation reform, it's conservation retreat," said chief executive Nicola Toki. "We should not be making it easier to sell off conservation land for commercial gain.
"Our laws should uphold the promise to protect nature for its own sake, for future generations and for all those who hold these places dear."
She said the consultation document proposed making about five million hectares of public conservation land available for exchange or disposal, if deemed "surplus" or to "support other government priorities".
Toki said this represented "the most significant weakening of conservation law in a generation", warning it would increase pressure on native species and transform the Department of Conservation (DOC) from a protector of biodiversity into a land-use manager.
"They dismantle the very purpose of our national parks and conservation lands," she said. "Our national parks are not theme parks - they are taonga with deep cultural and ecological significance.
"This feels less like policy and more like an international online auction of the very places that define who we are."
Conservation minister: Backlog fix, not selloff
Conservation Minister Tama Potaka pushed back on claims the government was selling off conservation land.
Conservation Minister Tama Potaka has pushed back on Forest & Bird claims. Photo: RNZ / Mark Papalii
He said the changes were about creating a clearer, faster and more consistent concessions process for a wide range of land uses.
"There's a huge backlog - some concessions were taking five-six years," Potaka said. "We've already halved that backlog in the last six months, but we need to change the system, so those backlogs don't build up again."
Potaka highlighted that DOC land was already used for various infrastructure and business purposes, including cellphone towers, bridges, guided walks and concerts.
He said the government's reforms aimed to bring more transparency and efficiency to how those uses are managed, and to re-invest revenue into biodiversity protection and pest control.
"We're trying to get the right balance between the environment and nature, and the economy, but we do need to drive more economic outcomes out of the things we do own as a country," Potaka said.
"That land [currently] makes about $50-60 million [annually]. In anyone's language, that might not be enough, especially if we want to re-invest into biodiversity, and ensure more jobs and high wages."
Potaka rejected the notion that the reforms shifted DOC from its ecological mission. He said the changes would actually improve conservation outcomes by making the system more navigable for all types of users, including environmental educators and community groups.
"People who host outdoor education camps need concessions too," he said. "Often they're more about community and kids than making money."
Potaka also pointed to recent funding announcements - including $30m for weed and pest control, and heritage site upgrades - as evidence of the government's commitment to conservation.
Public access and foreign visitor charges
In addition to changes to land management, the government has proposed charging international visitors between $20-$40 to access four of the country's most popular natural attractions - Cathedral Cove, the Tongariro Crossing, Milford Sound and Aoraki/Mount Cook. New Zealanders would not be charged.
The prime minister said the new charges could generate an estimated $62m annually, all of which would be re-invested in the same areas.
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