Hon David Carter
Minister of Agriculture

7 April 2009 Media Release

Government welcomes report on tenure review

The Government today welcomed the report of the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment on high country tenure review, calling it a sensible and constructive approach on the issue.

“This report rightly challenges the underlying ideology that land must be solely for conservation or farming, and instead proposes a middle path where land is managed for both,” says Agriculture Minister David Carter.

“It reinforces the unique role of the high country in shaping our national identity, something the previous Government ignored as it drove a wedge between high country runholders and the Crown.

“The result proved to be both environmentally and economically damaging to New Zealand,” says Mr Carter.

“The Commissioner’s report – “Change in the high country: Environmental stewardship and tenure review” – recognises that farmers already play a ‘stewardship’ role, a role which lessees have long argued and which has been overlooked.”

Mr Carter says that high country runholders can be just as effective stewards as the Crown.

“We also support the questioning by the Commissioner of the ongoing expansion of the DOC estate.

“The Government has made it clear that it supports the principle of tenure review, but believes a new approach is needed to restore confidence in the process. Voluntary, good faith negotiations between lessees and the Crown are at the heart of this.

“The report will be an effective contribution to work being done by several government agencies to develop clear policy and long-term direction for pastoral lease policy,” says Mr Carter.

View Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment Report

ENDS

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