Help us improve conservation management planning and concessions legislation

Current legislation complicated and dated

DOC uses concessions (the permissions system) to regulate activities, such as filming, grazing, and guided tours, that can and cannot occur on public conservation lands and waters.

Complicated and dated legislation limits the effective functioning of the permissions system.  This negatively affects conservation values and people engaging with public conservation lands and waters.

Submissions made

We sought feedback on 20 proposals outlined in the Conservation management and processes discussion document (PDF, 3,032K).

These aim to make conservation legislation more efficient and user-friendly through amendments to existing statutory processes.

The proposals were split into three categories:

1. Conservation management planning – improving the ability to develop and review conservation management strategies, conservation management plans and national park management plans.
2. Concessions (permissions system)– improving the ability to process, manage and allocate concession opportunities on public conservation lands and waters.
3. Miscellaneous – removing or clarifying minor and technical miscellaneous legislative anomalies.

All submissions had to be received by DOC by close of business 30 June 2022.

During the eight-week public consultation period, DOC undertook targeted engagement with tangata whenua – iwi, hapū and whānau - through virtual or in-person meetings and regional hui. In addition, DOC held meetings with key stakeholder groups and conservation boards.

Submissions summary

DOC received 124 submissions from a wide range of partners and stakeholders. Information about the consultation process and submitters, and a summary of the key points and themes from the consultation, is provided in this report.

Summary of submissions (PDF, 1,679K)

Submissions may be released publicly

All submissions are subject to the Official Information Act and can be released under this Act. Any submitter who had specific reasons for wanting to have their submission withheld was required to explain their reasons in the submission. Those reasons will be considered when making any assessment for the release of submissions under the Official Information Act. 

At this stage, submissions will not be publicly released. DOC will contact submitters if submissions are to be released.

Next stage

DOC has analysed all submissions and has reported to the Minister of Conservation on the feedback received. This feedback informed the Minister’s decisions about which proposals to progress.

Cabinet approved the drafting of a Bill including the proposals relating to concessions and the minor and technical amendments. Cabinet supported the Minister of Conservation’s recommendation to not proceed with the proposals related to management planning.

You can read about how these decisions were reached in this cabinet paper (PDF, 2,212K).

DOC is currently working with the Parliamentary Counsel Office to draft the Bill.  

If the Government introduces a Conservation Management and Processes Bill, the public will have the opportunity to make submissions during the select committee process.

Contact

If you have questions, email the CMAP team: cmap@doc.govt.nz.