Alan Liefting
2005-03-22 10:21:29 UTC
22 March 2005
United conservation plans driven by DOC-hatred
United seems to be driven by an irrational and deep hatred of
conservation and DOC, Green Co-Leader Jeanette Fitzsimons says.
"United Future's disdain for the idea of conservation seems to have
blinded it to what the Conservation Department actually does," Ms
Fitzsimons said. "Most of the policies it has announced today would be
ineffectual, counterproductive, and a big waste of time and money."
Ms Fitzsimons said United's proposal to "restructure DOC into two,
semi-autonomous parts", announced as part of its conservation
policy, was meaningless.
"The DOC budget and nearly all DOC staff are already divided into two
parts - conservation and recreation. Parliament allocates money for
species conservation or for hut-building and DOC is not free to use one
for the other. Specialist staff are already allocated to management of
recreation or scientific study of rare species. So, in this sense, the
United policy is meaningless.
"However, it would be hugely wasteful to take this further and create
semi-autonomous units for conservation and recreation. This would mean
having staff from the conservation unit hiking days into the bush to
check on wildlife, and then different staff from the recreation unit
hiking the same route the next day to check on the condition of huts.
"DOC combines both functions because there are major efficiencies and
economies to be gained from having people keep an eye out for both
functions. Trampers, bird watchers and hunters all use DOC huts and
tracks. All of them enjoy their recreation because the natural
environment has been conserved."
Ms Fitzsimons said United rhetoric about DOC excluding New Zealanders
from the conservation estate was misplaced.
"Trampers have access to the whole conservation estate and millions of
dollars are spent providing for them. DOC does exclude some things, but
in every case this exclusion is justified.
"For example, it excludes four wheel drives from certain places where
they would damage species, it excludes deer from those places where they
are causing ecological damage, and it excludes guns and dogs from some
areas for the same reason. It does this on behalf of all New Zealanders
and future generations."
Ms Fitzsimons said that trout and salmon fishers, along with rafters and
kayakers, would be very disturbed by United's proposal to make hydro
development "a matter of national interest" that could override the
conservation and recreational values of rivers.
"There's never been a hydro proposal that United has opposed. They
supported Project Aqua, the canalisation of the Arnold River and the
Wairau scheme. This United policy will accelerate the loss of our wild
rivers."
United conservation plans driven by DOC-hatred
United seems to be driven by an irrational and deep hatred of
conservation and DOC, Green Co-Leader Jeanette Fitzsimons says.
"United Future's disdain for the idea of conservation seems to have
blinded it to what the Conservation Department actually does," Ms
Fitzsimons said. "Most of the policies it has announced today would be
ineffectual, counterproductive, and a big waste of time and money."
Ms Fitzsimons said United's proposal to "restructure DOC into two,
semi-autonomous parts", announced as part of its conservation
policy, was meaningless.
"The DOC budget and nearly all DOC staff are already divided into two
parts - conservation and recreation. Parliament allocates money for
species conservation or for hut-building and DOC is not free to use one
for the other. Specialist staff are already allocated to management of
recreation or scientific study of rare species. So, in this sense, the
United policy is meaningless.
"However, it would be hugely wasteful to take this further and create
semi-autonomous units for conservation and recreation. This would mean
having staff from the conservation unit hiking days into the bush to
check on wildlife, and then different staff from the recreation unit
hiking the same route the next day to check on the condition of huts.
"DOC combines both functions because there are major efficiencies and
economies to be gained from having people keep an eye out for both
functions. Trampers, bird watchers and hunters all use DOC huts and
tracks. All of them enjoy their recreation because the natural
environment has been conserved."
Ms Fitzsimons said United rhetoric about DOC excluding New Zealanders
from the conservation estate was misplaced.
"Trampers have access to the whole conservation estate and millions of
dollars are spent providing for them. DOC does exclude some things, but
in every case this exclusion is justified.
"For example, it excludes four wheel drives from certain places where
they would damage species, it excludes deer from those places where they
are causing ecological damage, and it excludes guns and dogs from some
areas for the same reason. It does this on behalf of all New Zealanders
and future generations."
Ms Fitzsimons said that trout and salmon fishers, along with rafters and
kayakers, would be very disturbed by United's proposal to make hydro
development "a matter of national interest" that could override the
conservation and recreational values of rivers.
"There's never been a hydro proposal that United has opposed. They
supported Project Aqua, the canalisation of the Arnold River and the
Wairau scheme. This United policy will accelerate the loss of our wild
rivers."