High Court Ruling Sparks Calls for Independent Review of Te Urewera's Finances

The New Zealand Taxpayers' Union has called for the Department of Conservation's (DOC) director general, Penny Wilson, to be held accountable for what it claims to be an appalling failure to oversee the management of Te Urewera.

The comments follow a ruling by the High Court that the burning of huts in the protected area was unlawful.

The union also called for an independent review of Te Urewera's finances, claiming that the current monetary allocation needs to be spent in accordance with legal obligations.

Since Te Urewera was handed over to Ngai Tūhoe almost a decade ago, taxpayers have funded tens of millions of dollars for the upkeep of the area, yet the union claims that there is no evidence of success.