Colin Ambler/cvnznews.com
The Conservative Party is warning New Zealanders not to be fooled by the Government’s decision to shelve controversial conservation and fisheries reforms, claiming both will be pushed through quickly if the current coalition is returned to power after the election.
Conservative Party leader Helen Houghton says recent announcements from ministers should not be viewed as policy retreats but as strategic delays designed to avoid electoral backlash.
“The Government has signalled its intentions in both cases,” Houghton said. “Don’t be fooled by ministers putting them on the back burner. It’s simply an election ploy.”
At the centre of the dispute are proposed changes to fisheries legislation championed by Fisheries Minister Shane Jones, along with the contentious Conservation Amendment Bill, which has sparked opposition from conservation groups, outdoor recreation advocates and environmental organisations.
Jones recently stated his fisheries reforms would be paused “for the time being”, a phrase Conservatives argue should concern voters rather than reassure them.
“That’s a clear signal that if Jones is fisheries minister in a new government, it’ll be rushed through soon in the coming year,” Houghton said.
The Conservation Amendment Bill has generated particularly strong criticism.
Opponents argue the legislation represents a significant shift in New Zealand’s approach to public conservation land, moving the focus away from environmental protection and towards commercial development.
Federated Mountain Clubs has described the proposals as potentially the greatest threat to conservation law and outdoor recreation in four decades.
Houghton agrees.
“The proposals fundamentally change why public conservation land exists,” she said. “It shifts the focus away from DOC being charged to protect our wild places to encouraging economic development and exploitation.”
She warned the changes could weaken public access protections and undermine the long-standing purpose of conservation land.
Perhaps the most controversial aspect of the bill is its proposed redistribution of decision-making power.
Critics argue it would reduce the influence of the New Zealand Conservation Authority and Conservation Boards, independent bodies established to represent the public interest, while giving greater authority to the Minister of Conservation.
“It’s about extreme ministerial power while the public are sidelined,” Houghton said.
With both reforms currently on hold, the Conservatives are framing the election as a referendum not only on conservation and fisheries policy, but on whether voters trust assurances that today’s “pause” won’t become tomorrow’s legislation.
