Heritage N.Z. move strongly opposed

Press, 30 July 1985, Page 3

Heritage N.Z. move strongly opposed

By

OLIVER RIDDELL

The annual conference of the National Party has come out strongly against plans for a Heritage New Zealand nature conservancy. Led by the West Coast delegation, the conference voted against the formation of Heritage New Zealand and applauded delegates who described it as smacking of , totalitarianism by setting up needless State control of land. Mr I. Clouston (Tasman) said Heritage New Zealand would by wholly conservationist. He attacked what he called a lack of consultation, saying that many interested parties were being

muzzled. But the former National Minister for the Environment, Dr lan Shearer, defended proposals to remove control of native forests from the Forest Service and give it to Heritage New Zealand. The Forest Service had adopted a “whoops, sorry” attitude over the years to excuse all its environmental mismanagement, Dr Shearer said. Mr J. Howard (Rangitikei), a leading figure in the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society for many years, said many people were criticising the Heritage New Zealand proposal without informing them-

selves of the details. He urged delegates not to “throw out the baby’ of environmental administration reform “with the bathwater.” “It is important for a coordinated approach to land,” Mr Howard said. “The proposal is not an evil socialist plot to lock up the country’s land.” But Mr G. Garwood (West Coast) said the Labour Government was just going through the motions of consultation and had already made up its mind. His resolution opposing Heritage New Zealand was adopted by the conference by a majority of at least four to one.