Mixed reaction to conservancy deferral

Press, 21 June 1985, Page 24

Mixed reaction to conservancy deferral

By

OLIVER RIDDELL,

in Wellington The decision by the Government to defer for two months any action on the proposed nature conservancy — Heritage New Zealand — has met a mixed reaction.

It has been applauded by Federated Farmers and other members of the Group of Ten, but criticised by the conservation movement.

Ten organisations opposed to Heritage New Zealand, and also critical of the Government for “hurrying it through” met a week ago. They included Federated Farmers, the Chambers of Commerce, the Manufacturers’ Federation, the Workers’ Union, and forestry industry organisations.

Their concern had been directed at the report of the working party into environmental administration and its recommendations. These had included land-use responsibilities of Government agencies between conservation and development, with a weighting towards conservation.

Since the criticism by the Group of Ten, the Government has released the hitherto confidential report of the working party. The Government has adopted the recommendations for a Ministry for the Environment and a Parliamentary Commissioner but deferred a decision on Heritage New Zealand. The president of Federated Farmers, Mr

Peter Elworthy, said the Government had acted wisely in deciding not to proceed with such widesweeping administrative changes in the management of the environment without consulting private landowners on the implications of the report. But the Environment and Conservation Organisation, an alliance of 72 organisations, said it was disappointing that Heritage New Zealand, with responsibility for the conservation of natural and cultural resources, was not being set up. “We firmly believe that all undeveloped Crown lands, including indigenous forests, should be included in this department,” said the chairman of E.C.0., Ms Cath

Wallace. The Native Forests Action Council said that, whatever this nature conservancy department was called, it was the most important part of the environmental restructuring package. On its own a Ministry for the Environment could do little to protect natural lands and native forests. Heritage New Zealand had been criticised for “locking up” land, the council said. It was not just a “lock up” department as apart from protecting parks and reserves, it would simply maintain stewardship over uncommitted lands, pending decisions on their allocation by the Government of the day.