Conservation

Click here to return to the policy homepage.

• Not available on their website yet.

• Increasing DOC’s funding, increase funding to the Nature Heritage Fund to enable the purchase and protection of special places that are threatened, and train DOC staff to work with hapū and communities.
• Protect and conserve our ecosystems, including by establishing new and larger 'mainland islands' for intensive pest management, continuing the existing ban on the export of indigenous logs and chips, and funding increased research into indigenous ecosystem functioning and species population dynamics.
• Support the use of the Resource Management Act to identify and protect important habitats on private land against over cultivation, over fertilisation, intensive stocking rates, infilling of aquatic habitats and wetlands, and inappropriate flood defences. Also ensure  local authorities are given clear directions on how significant natural areas are to be protected.
• Prohibit new exploration, prospecting and mining on or under conservation land and require mining activities be halted when rare and endemic species are found to present on the mining site.
• Pass the Marine Reserves Bill in the first 6 months in office, establish a network of marine mammal sanctuaries, sett a target of near-zero fishing-related mortality of marine mammals, turtles, endangered seabirds, and oppose all whaling. (more here)

• The Department of Conservation should be focused on the areas it is meant to protect, and provide effective services to regional New Zealand. This focus has been lost under the National government.
• Labour will rebalance DOC towards the regions, employing staff with local knowledge and expertise.
• Labour will empower Conservation Boards, rather than undermine their plans as this government has.
• Labour will not block DOC from advocating for the environment. (more here)

• Not available on their website yet.

• Transfer the role of kaitiaki back from the Department of Conservation to mana whenua. (more here)

• Continuing to develop our outward-looking approach for DOC, by establishing partnerships with business, individual benefactors, international groups and volunteers interested in our conservation values.
• Provide for a range of marine protected areas, from no-take marine reserves, recreational fishing parks, species-specific sanctuaries and seabed reserves.
• Create two new recreational fishing parks in the inner Hauraki Gulf and the Marlborough Sounds by excluding commercial finfishing.
• National believes the distinctive and special conservation values of the Waipoua Forest should be preserved as a National Park, making it the first National Park north of Rotorua. (more here)

• Enhance and protect the rights of all New Zealanders to access their cultural heritage sites and clarify and amend legislation associated with protecting these heritage sites, buildings, and objects. The protection of our historic heritage is vital.
• Encourage local government use of the community wage scheme for conservation and weed and pest control activities and for environmental activities including the beautification and maintenance of waterways, beaches, parks and roadsides and measures to clean up pollution.
• Develop plans and procedures to handle waste water in rural areas.
• Require effective co-ordination between relevant government agencies to ensure appropriate deterrents exist to poaching and trafficking of protected species.
• Support 'threatened species' recovery programmes and protection and restoration of the habitat. (more here)

• Keep a watching brief on the new structure for the Department of Conservation to ensure that recreation doesn’t fall between the cracks of the two new divisions.
• Ensure that the interests of all conservation estate stakeholders are taken properly into account when decisions are made (including the “national interest”).
• Review the Department of Conservation’s advocacy responsibilities to ensure that they do not waste taxpayer’s money to waste ratepayer’s money in unnecessary appeals against local authorities in the Environment Court.
• Introduce elected members on to Conservation Boards in addition to Government appointees.
• Prioritise the assessment and classification of stewardship land, which comprises 30% of the conservation estate, to provide more protection forareas of high conservation and recreation value and potentially transfer areas of low conservation value out of DoC management. (more here)