6. JACQUI DEAN (National—Waitaki) Link to this
to the Minister of Agriculture
What recent reports has he seen on agriculture and high country management?
Hon DAVID CARTER (Minister of Agriculture) Link to this
Yesterday I received the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment’s excellent report entitled Change in the high country. This report takes a sensible and constructive approach to tenure review. It aligns with the Government’s election commitment to take a fresh approach to the issue, while rejecting the previous Labour Government’s divisive and damaging work in this area. As such, we will be carefully considering the recommendations made in the report.
This Government will approach tenure review in a vastly different manner. We fundamentally believe that high country farming and conservation are not mutually exclusive, and that the ongoing expansion of the Department of Conservation estate should not go on unquestioned. Clear instructions have already been given to relevant Government departments to implement a good-faith approach to tenure review negotiations, and I am pleased to report that high country runholders are already reporting to me a marked improvement in the approach taken by officials on this issue.
What role does the Government see for farmers in the management and enhancement of our unique high country landscapes?
This Government, unlike the previous Labour Government, is not interested in driving a wedge between high country farmers and the Crown. In many situations, farming families can be more effective in delivering environmental outcomes for our unique high country landscape than any Government department can. That is why the National Government sees the high country runholders, who have often farmed this land for generations, playing a major role in managing and enhancing the high country for all New Zealanders.