Public pressure has forced the Coalition Government to roll back parts of the Conservation Amendment Bill, but changes are essentially meaningless when the remaining clauses could still have disastrous ramifications, says the Green Party.
“While we welcome the Select Committee’s decision to abandon the controversial conservation land exchange and disposal provisions, New Zealanders should remain extremely concerned about the ‘squeeze any economic value at any cost’ approach of the economic clauses in the Bill,” says Green Party environment spokesperson Lan Pham.
“The redrafted Bill has only removed the land disposal provisions, but there are still no changes to the purpose clauses that dictate economic use 'to the greatest extent practicable. These clauses are some of the biggest threats to our conservation land and could have disastrous ramifications if they remain.”
“The Government is still trying to hardwire commercial exploitation into conservation law, shifting its purpose from protecting nature to enabling private profit from public conservation land.”
“The justification of Coalition Government is that it’s still open to amending the clauses, but proof that it is willing to listen to the public is yet to be seen and it’s destructive legacy of crippling cuts to environmental agencies, disestablishing the Ministry for the Environment and rushed legislation that removes or weakens environmental protections remain.”
“If the Government truly cared about righting their mistakes, it would remove these clauses immediately.”
“Kiwis across the country have made it crystal clear – if Government wants to change the laws to make it easier for corporations to exploit our precious conservation land, they will face immense public backlash.”
“New Zealanders want and deserve a government that serves their interests in protecting Aotearoa’s conservation land and wildlife for future generations,” says Lan Pham.
