National blocking protection of Mackenzie Country

The Green Party is calling on the Government to stop obstructing the Department of Conservation from protecting public land in the Mackenzie high country, said Green Party Co-leader, Dr Russel Norman today.

The Party is instead asking the Prime Minister to support a Dryland Park there as a great Waitangi Day gift to the nation.

Emails revealed today in The Press show that the Department of Conservation would like to protect public land in the Mackenzie Basin from conversion into intensive dairying but is being prevented from doing so by government policy and funding cuts. About half the land currently being proposed for dairy conversion is leased Crown land.

“These emails show that DOC wants to protect public land in the Mackenzie Basin from intensive dairying but National won’t let it, due to funding cuts and government policy,” said Dr Norman.

“The Prime Minister has personally expressed concern about developments in the Mackenzie high country. He has the power to make a huge contribution simply by preventing the conversion of Crown land to intensive dairying. In fact, he can go further by supporting a Dryland Park and funding DOC adequately to manage the Park.

“Without protection, publicly owned land in the Mackenzie Basin will become privatised under the tenure review process and converted to intensive dairying.

“The stark choice is entirely in Government hands: Will we get a Dryland Park which protects biodiversity and the clean waters of Lake Pukaki? Or will we get privatisation and conversion to intensive dairy with the resulting loss of biodiversity and the pollution of the Mackenzie lake system?

“What a better way to mark our national day than to protect one of the most iconic and significant landscapes in the country — the Mackenzie high country. A Dryland Park would safeguard our tourism, hydroelectricity, and salmon industries while protecting outstanding natural landscapes and biodiversity,” said Dr Norman.