Oceans Policy Secretariat

http://www.oceans.govt.nz

Young New Zealanders To Tell Government About The Ocean

Young Kiwis are being given a voice in the extensive public consultation campaign about our oceans.

Dame Cath Tizard is leading an eight member Ministerial Advisory Committee for an Oceans Policy, in a nationwide public consultation campaign to identify what New Zealanders value about our oceans and what their vision for its future is.

“Young New Zealanders deserve a say in how our oceans are managed, as the sea plays a fundamental role in many childhoods

“Even for young people who don’t live near the ocean, the sea plays a part in their lives – whether they eat fish and chips once a week, go on school trips to the beach, go on family beach holidays, enjoy water sports or even just dream about the sea,” Dame Cath said.

“To make it easier for students to be involved in this policy development process, we have developed a schools’ pack, which includes suggested activities for all ages of school children. It is also cross-curriculum, covering science, mathematics, social sciences, geography and English, to help teachers to find a place for the programme in their classes,” Dame Cath said.

The pack provides a range of ways that schools’, children and their families can contribute and make a submission.

All schools have been notified about the schools pack, and within two weeks of the notification, nearly 300 requests for the pack had been received.

The schools’ pack can be downloaded from www.oceans.govt.nz or ordered by calling 0800 001 461.

Public submissions close on the 17 August 2001. The Committee will report to Ministers by 30 September 2001.

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