Environment and Conservation Organisations of NZ Inc P O Box 11-057 Wellington
Media Advisory - Wellington - Thursday 17 June -
National Environment Summit in Christchurch 18-20 June
The national environmental summit of delegations from groups concerned with the environment and conservation will be
held in Christchurch and at Living Springs, Governor's Bay this weekend, starting Friday morning at the Salvation Army
Citadel, Victoria Square, 9..00am and then moving at 5.45pm Friday to Living Springs, Governor's Bay, Banks Peninsula
for the rest of the weekend.
The conference, to be opened by Minister of Conservation and Local Government, Chris Carter and ECO Chair, Cath Wallace,
will focus on key environmental issues including the attacks on the Resource Management Act, the government's plans to
privatise fisheries management and research, moves to change water and natural resource allocation processes and South
Island conservation issues. Antarctic conservation and the impacts of trawling in New Zealand waters and on the high
seas will be canvassed.
"There is also intense concern about the government's growth and energy strategies. The conference will discuss smart
strategies for moving forwards onto sustainable energy and sustainable development policies without simply steam
rollering enviromental and social intererests, says ECO Chair, Cath Wallace. This is also the message that the
government got from the Growth and Innovation Office Study so we hope that it will sit up and take notice.
Speakers include Fisheries Minister and Associate Environment Minister, David Benson-Pope; Greens co-chair Jeanette
Fitzsimons; Environment Ministry CEO Barry Carbon; National Party spokesman for Environment and Local Government, Nick
Smith, and many independent and environmental non-governmental leaders and analysts.
"ECO will be taking a close look at these issues, debating them and on Sunday considering a range of policy remits, says
Cath Wallace
We see this as a key time: the government is listening and responding to business concerns but is paying precious little
heed to environmental concerns. It is good to see Ministers and the Environment CEO turning up to speak - we hope they
will also listen. There is widespread concern about some of the governments plans, particularly for the RMA, fisheries
and energy.
For more information see www.eco.org.nz.