12 June 2005 - Wellington
Media release for immediate use
National Party commits to retaining DOC
National Party environment spokesperson Nick Smith today made an ‘absolute commitment’ that a National-led government
would not split up the Department of Conservation at the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society Annual General Meeting
in Wellington.
“Forest and Bird is pleased that National has affirmed its commitment to keeping the Department of Conservation as a
single dedicated government agency,” said Forest and Bird President Dr. Peter Maddison.
“Both of the main political parties have now committed to not splitting up the Department of Conservation, so United
Future’s proposal to split the department looks more endangered than the kakapo,” he said.
“The only place where a conservation department was recently split up was in the state of Victoria in Australia. The
split-up was such a failure that Victoria is now trying to put their conservation department back together again,” he
said.
“Nick Smith also committed National to passing a Marine Reserves Bill,” he said.
“However, we are concerned that National still prefers to lock up the South Island’s high country through private
covenants and private ownership, rather than open up new areas in the high country by creating public parks. Federated
Farmers’ campaign to close down public access highlights why public ownership of the high country is so important,” he
said.
“We were pleased that Conservation Minister Chris Carter made strong statements in support of more marine reserves, a
network of high country parks, improved public access and greater pest control. However Forest and Bird members clearly
stated their concerns about the threat to native wildlife posed by state owned mining company Solid Energy,” he said.
“We were also pleased that Green Party co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons launched the Green Party’s conservation policy at
our forum. We appreciated the commitment she made to pest control, more sustainable agriculture and fisheries and
increasing the Nature Heritage Fund by $15 million a year,” he said.
Note:
Forest and Bird held a Political Forum with conservation and environment representatives of the Green Party, Labour
Party, National Party and United Future Party on Sunday 12 June from 10.30am until 12.15pm at the Mercure Hotel, 355
Willis Street, Wellington. All political parties represented in Parliament were invited to participate.
The forum involved ten minute presentations from Green Party Co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons, Conservation Minister Chris
Carter, National Party environment spokesperson Nick Smith and United Future Party conservation spokesperson Larry
Baldock.
Issues covered in the forum include marine reserves, bottom trawling, pest control, threatened species management, role
of the Department of Conservation, Resource Management Act reform and high country protection.