Outdoors and Outdoor Recreation

DoC Reform
Pest Control
Practical Access to Public Land
Freshwater Policy
Marine Recreational Fishing
Marine Reserves
Commercial Fishing
Recreational Risk Management
Heli-Hunting

What we’ve achieved: the Game Animal Council

The establishment of a sensible management regime recognising the historical, cultural, nutritional and recreational value of big game animals (deer, chamois, tahr and wild pigs), while not neglecting the environmental responsibilities that come with managing such a resource, has been achieved with the enactment of the Game Animal Council legislation in 2014. This statute was achieved by United Future under Confidence and Supply Agreements with successive Labour and National–led governments.

Under the legislation the basic permit to hunt on public conservation land will remain free of charge. A new classification of animals has also been introduced under the Act allowing the Minister of Conservation to designate herds of special interest to hunters and in specific locations.

The broad functions of the Council are to:

Advise and make recommendations to the Minister of Conservation;
Undertake management functions to improve the hunting experience for herds of special interest to hunters and in specific locations designated by the Minister;.
Undertake hunting research;
Provide information to hunters;
Promote safety initiatives for the sector;
Represent the views and interests of the sector;
Liaise between hunters, sector groups, local authorities and private landowners, the New Zealand Conservation Authority, conservation boards and government to improve hunting opportunities;
Provide other services to hunters by agreement, where it is compatible with the Council’s other functions.

Department of Conservation Reform

UnitedFuture believes that the Department of Conservation should be responsive to the interests of all stakeholders when administering the conservation estate – including outdoor recreation groups, environmental organisations, the business sector, and New Zealanders in general.

We are particularly concerned at the apparent attitude of the Department towards recreational users such as large game hunters and fishers. As a consequence, UnitedFuture wants to ensure that the Department of Conservation is required to consult with, and genuinely take into account the views of, all relevant stakeholder groups in a fair, balanced and transparent way. Such a process may not significantly change land management outcomes on the conservation estate, but it will at least mean that everyone is able to receive a fair hearing and have their views taken properly into consideration.

With regard to pest control, UnitedFuture believes that more time and money should be allocated for this important task. The exponential increase in exotic pest populations, such as rats and mustelids in the southern beech forests, or other pests such as the Australian Brush Tailed opossum and German wasps, need to be properly and scientifically managed. These pests, among others, are rapidly destroying large populations of New Zealand’s native fauna and flora.

It is UnitedFuture policy to:

Keep a watching brief on the new structure for the Department of Conservation to ensure that recreation doesn’t fall between the cracks of the two new divisions;

Ensure that the interests of all conservation estate stakeholders are taken properly into account when decisions are made (including the “national interest”);
Review the Department of Conservation’s advocacy responsibilities to ensure that they do not waste taxpayer’s money to waste ratepayer’s money in unnecessary appeals against local authorities in the Environment Court;
Establish transparent public application and decision-making procedures for decisions regarding use of the conservation estate;
Provide additional funding for 1080-free pest control measures that target the most noxious and destructive pests (e.g. possums, rats, and mustelids), once thorough consultation has taken place with relevant local community and recreational groups;
Introduce elected members on to Conservation Boards in addition to Government appointees;
Provide capital and other resources for use by community groups (e.g. recreational clubs) who have entered into partnerships with DoC to maintain backcountry huts, and actively encourage more of these partnerships for the approximately 1,000 huts on the conservation estate;
Prioritise the assessment and classification of stewardship land, which comprises 30% of the conservation estate, to provide more protection for areas of high conservation and recreation value and potentially transfer areas of low conservation value out of DoC management;
Continue to engage in partnerships with private enterprise to achieve conservation goals such as preserving native species and maintaining recreational facilities (e.g. Dulux sponsorship of hut painting).

Pest Control

New Zealand has been attempting to eradicate selected mammals by poisoning with 1080 for over sixty years. Vast amounts of research have been undertaken to measure its effectiveness but the target species (rats, stoats and possums) are still here, perhaps in greater numbers than ever. The inevitable by-kill of non-target species by spreading such an extremely hazardous toxin as 1080 continues.

The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment’s Report on 1080 (June 2011) concluded that in order for 1080 to be effective it must be used in large amounts and in perpetuity. However, increasing the frequency of deployment has been shown to reduce its effectiveness, possibly due to bait-shyness. To all intents, therefore, 1080 has become the “opium of conservation”.

The prioritisation of eradicating rats and mustelids using 1080 has also diverted focus away from other threats to our native fauna: Magpies, myna birds, weasels, ferrets, hedgehogs and feral cats for instance displace or kill birds, insects and amphibia.

UnitedFuture therefore believe the wholesale aerial dispersal of 1080 is a failed pest-management strategy and must be reconsidered.

It is UnitedFuture policy to:

Impose a five year moratorium on the aerial dispersal of 1080, and redirect funds towards:
- establishment of a commission or collaborative group, akin to the Land and Water Forum, to establish a consensus on long-term alternative pest control strategies;
- community-based initiatives, such as bounty payments, to increase ground-based trapping of rats and mustelids;
- initiatives to maximise possum trapping and exploit the fur and meat export markets;
- planning and executing an extensive monitoring and reporting programme of our threatened species and their predators during the period of the moratorium.

United Future’s intent is to create the opportunity and environment for individuals, communities of interest and businesses to establish viable alternatives to aerial 1080 dispersal and measure and monitor the effectiveness of this approach during the period of the moratorium.

Practical Access to Public Land

UnitedFuture believes that all New Zealanders have a birthright to enjoy our unique, diverse landscape. Our strong outdoor heritage is central to what it means to be a Kiwi.

By working with successive governments we have advocated strongly for an access policy that protects and enhances access to public land without unduly impinging on the property rights of landowners. UnitedFuture, while welcoming the establishment of the Walking Access Commission, does not consider the Commission has sufficient legislative authority to protect the right of access to public land.

Our interest lies in maintaining and, where possible, enhancing public access to public land.

It is UnitedFuture policy to:

Extend the powers of the Walking Access Commission so that it can:
- secure appropriate public access to, public resources like rivers;
- advocate for public access rather than purely act as a mediator in relation to access negotiations;
- negotiate specific access corridors across private land with landowners on a case-by-case basis (these corridors could in many instances be based on the ‘paper roads’ and easements that already exist on many legal property titles but are not always acknowledged by landowners);
- enforce the terms of access corridors on landowners once they have been established;
Maintain and strengthen the New Zealand Outdoor Access Code (via the Walking Access Commission) that protects property rights and the rights of landowners from people trespassing beyond a legally established corridor, littering, leaving gates open or other nuisances;
Make further enhancements to the Walking Access mapping system so that members of the public can contact landowners to obtain access permission;
Close the loopholes within our public access law that allow situations of ‘exclusive capture’ to arise, and actively prosecute landowners who continue to sell exclusive access rights to our public resources. For example, we do not oppose commercial access to fisheries (in the form of guiding, etc) but will only allow it if the same access is available to others who want to access fisheries (in the same way that a concession for private guides operating on tramping tracks does not prevent 'freedom walkers');
Ensure that the Queen’s Chain is formally enshrined in statute;
Ensure the access regime applies to all private land (including Maori land) for the purposes of ensuring access to public land for all legal pursuits;
Replace the existing and arbitrary four-hectare rule in relation to subdivision-derived esplanade reserves with a less arbitrary trigger for creating new access;
Require recreational clubs to adopt the New Zealand Outdoor Access Code and deal with any complaints directed at their members;
Establish a clear set of guidelines for applying to set up new access corridors;
Ensure adequate funding is available to cover any costs (such as track maintenance) that the establishment or maintenance of an access corridor may entail – under no circumstances should the landowner incur any costs associated with public access corridors on their land;
Establish a fund to compensate landowners up front for any damage that members of the public cause to their property (the land access agency can pursue offenders to recover the cost of fund payouts separately).

Freshwater Policy

United Future recognises the social, cultural, recreational and economic benefits of keeping our rivers, streams and lakes full of clean water for current and future generations. UnitedFuture believes that the environmental value of our freshwater must be considered paramount. This is the only way to assure both the future health and wealth of our nation.

United Future considers the amenity value of freshwater is fundamental to the Kiwi way of life. Our rights to swim, fish, gather food and enjoy all of our rivers and lakes in their natural state are essential. These waters belong to the people of New Zealand. However, if left unchecked, increasing agriculture intensification, private ownership schemes, insensitive land practices, and increasing urbanization will pollute and dewater our rivers, streams and lakes to a point whereby they will degrade to being no more than toxic drains.

Our Policy is therefore to Keep Freshwater Fresh by:

Vesting the ownership of all freshwater, its beds and margins to the Crown and placing its management in public hands for its protection and perpetual benefit, interest and enjoyment of the New Zealand public. The Crown will lease water takes while prohibiting the private ownership, sale or trading of freshwater such as tradable water rights;
Continue to oppose proposed changes to the Resource Management Act (1991) to ensure that the ecological, environmental, scenic, wilderness and recreational values of freshwater systems have primacy when assessing proposals to dam, divert, abstract, append, change or in any way modify the flow, quality or characteristics of that waterway;
Completely revise the National Policy Statement (NPS) on Freshwater Management and National Objectives Framework, to ensure more rapid resolution of over-allocation, and to set more stringent quality levels to reduce pollution and improve the ecological health of freshwater ecosystems. In addition, append and strengthen the NPS with a National Environmental Standard for Freshwater to set flow and quality criteria;
Create a National Environmental Standard for Land Use, which sets out rules to determine the ecological sustainability of that land use and to ensure it has no adverse effect on any water bodies;
Re-allocate the Irrigation Acceleration Fund towards contestable grants which promote sustainable and environmentally positive on-farm operations, such as water use reduction, pasture improvement, soil and effluent management;
Encourage environmental innovation and sensibility by introducing user pays for all water-takes and polluter pays for any individual or entity who introduces point or non-point polluting discharges into rivers or lakes;
Amend the Environmental Reporting Bill to recognise the sensitivity of salmonids (trout and salmon) to degraded freshwater systems (pollution, low flows and elevated water temperatures), by including the reporting of their quantity and condition within the freshwater domain;
Move the prohibition of the sale of trout flesh into legislation and make all species of trout ”recreational fish only” and not to be farmed other than to stock recreational fisheries;
Retain the Fish and Game management model and extend its powers to allow full (non-Ministerial) control over differential licence categories (such as overseas and guides’ licences), and by mandating that all Councils seek the approval of Fish and Game on all decisions which affect the habitat of freshwater fish;
Close legal loopholes which allow the “exclusive capture” of access to, and participation in, any freshwater fisheries by commercial interests, by amending relevant legislation and extending the powers of the Walking Access Commission so they can advocate for and, if necessary, secure appropriate public access to, public resources such as rivers;
Create “helicopter -free“ zones on selected wilderness rivers to protect the quality of fishing and access by Kiwis, to be administered by Fish and Game NZ;
Create a new role within the Ministry for the Environment to hold local authorities accountable where they have not adequately or promptly addressed any adverse impact on freshwater, such as illegal gates or polluters;
Impose a moratorium on new hydro and irrigation schemes for rivers without existing dams and still regarded as ‘wild’;
Make it easier for recreational fishers to access information pertaining to their daily catch limit and the penalties for non-compliance through more numerous and comprehensive information boards at boat ramps and popular on-shore fishing spots;
Provide targeted funding for research into didymo with the intention of exterminating it from our rivers;
Develop a rapid response unit within Biosecurity New Zealand to respond to future reported potential threats similar to didymo with the mandate to immediately ‘close’ a waterway from public use.

Marine Recreational Fishing

UnitedFuture believes recreational fishing must come before commercial profits because it is the birth right of every New Zealander to head to the beach to catch kahawai or snapper to feed their family. Kiwis’ birthright to catch and eat fish should not be compromised by companies that catch and sell too many of our recreational species of fish to foreign countries. Under our policy minimum fish stocks will be enforced ensuring our children and children’s children can go fishing, just like we have for generations, and catch fish for their dinner.

It is UnitedFuture policy to:

Amend the Fisheries Act to create “Recreational Only Species”, giving recreational fishers priority over commercial fishers for specific species of fish. The Ministry of Primary Industries will establish a biomass bottom line for these species, setting a permanent minimum tonnage of fish. Recreational bag limits will be set within the minimum biomass tonnage of fish ensuring that overfishing by commercial operators won’t affect recreational limits. If commercial operators overfish and cause the biomass to fall below the minimum permanent tonnage they will be required to cease fishing that species until the fish returns above the minimum tonnage. Initially we will include species such as Kahawai, Snapper, Kingfish, and Blue Cod as “Recreational Only Species” while reserving the right to adjust that list as circumstances require;
Introduce a type of new marine reserve named “recreational reserves”. These reserves will be for recreational fishers and iwi to fish in; commercial fishing in these reserves will be banned. This gives the dual benefit of increasing the available fish for the recreational fisher and providing a greater area of net free zones for the fish to live;
Substantially increase the level of funding available for robust scientific monitoring of the impact that specific catch limits and fishing methods are having on fish populations and the marine environment, in order to ensure sustainability of the resource. This funding will be made available to universities, Crown Research Institutes, and other relevant institutions;
Work with the recreational fishing sector to establish a public consultation process regarding the future of inshore fisheries management. Our intention is to preserve the ability for future generations of New Zealanders to have access to the recreational fishing opportunities that we, and previous generations, have enjoyed.

Marine Reserves

UnitedFuture believes that no-take marine reserves should only comprise one component of a graduated and comprehensive plan to protect and ensure the sustainability of the entire marine environment. In addition, the process for deciding where to establish no-take marine reserves should be more transparent and should ensure that the views of all relevant stakeholders – including recreational fishers – are taken into account (i.e. so they cannot simply be ‘listened to’ on a pro forma basis and then ignored).

It is UnitedFuture policy to:

Establish a graduated and comprehensive system of marine protection for the entire marine environment whereby no-take marine reserves are one of several available categories of protection (the category that affords the maximum level of restrictions);
Establish a marine protection category below no-take marine reserves where commercial fishing is prohibited but responsible recreational fishing is allowed (similar to the taiapure and mataitai concepts);
Ensure that in order for a new marine reserve to receive approval it must have a clearly-established and achievable purpose that will be of benefit to all New Zealanders (such as preserving a particularly unique and vulnerable species or ecosystem) and, in addition, require that it must be demonstrated that a no-take marine reserve is the only practicable way of achieving that purpose;
Ensure that statutory Treaty of Waitangi fisheries management requirements, such as those within the framework of the Fisheries Act, will continue to be met (e.g. via the implementation of Taiapure and Mataitai type reserves) as part of any new marine protection arrangements;
Seek to abandon the percentage approach to marine reserves and other protected areas as it is too arbitrary and is not necessary or useful as a marine management tool;
Ensure that marine reserves are not used as a fisheries management tool for harvestable species – the existing QMS (in conjunction with more scientific research) is the best means for achieving this;
Ensure that recreational interests are properly consulted regarding any regulatory changes to allowable marine activities;
Provide additional scientific funding so that small ecologically-sensitive areas that require the protection of a no-take marine reserve can be objectively identified and prioritised.

Commercial Fishing

The focus of UnitedFuture’s commercial fishing policy is the “New Zealandisation” of our fisheries. We want to level the playing field so that New Zealand vessels with New Zealand crews are competitive when it comes to harvesting this resource.

It is UnitedFuture policy to:

Require two compulsory fisheries inspectors to be present on foreign charter vessels, at the expense of the New Zealand company contracting the charter, to ensure QMS compliance;
Require at least one compulsory labour inspector to be present on foreign charter vessels, at the expense of the New Zealand company contracting the charter, to ensure compliance with New Zealand minimum wage laws and labour conditions;
Require that all foreign charter vessels are to remain outside a 25-mile limit;
Require that a certain percentage of all fishing quota that is leased out by “paper” fishermen must go to New Zealanders;
Ensure that New Zealand fishing operators can purchase fuel at the same price that international vessels can;
Fund a comprehensive scientific study to ascertain how much damage is being caused by bottom trawling in New Zealand’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and what are the best ways to mitigate or prevent future damage;
Review procedures for charging “deemed values” on fish caught without a corresponding allocation of “by catch” quota, to ensure that charges are set at levels that achieve a balance between discouraging illegal fishing without being overly burdensome on legitimate fishing operations.

Recreational Risk Management

At present many outdoor events are being put under pressure or cancelled by the increasing application of health and safety regulations that were originally designed, quite appropriately, for commercial and industrial environments.

It is UnitedFuture policy to:

Ensure that health and safety and related regulations recognise the inherent risk in outdoor activities, which forms part of their very appeal;
Clarify the law relating to the liability of event organisers;
Legislate to enable outdoor recreation event participants to sign a binding organiser’s liability waiver to take effect in the event that something not easily foreseeable goes wrong;
Generally work to ensure that schools, sporting organisations and individuals are free to organise and participate in outdoor events without fear of legal reprisal if something not easily foreseen goes wrong;
Ensure that access rules are clarified (see Practical Access to Public Land policy) in conjunction with health and safety related regulations to ensure that liability concerns cannot be used as an excuse for landowners to refuse access to their land for outdoor recreation events and activities;
Enable industries and NGOs to work more closely with schools to develop educational programmes. For example, the fisheries industry and organisations such as Fish and Game could trial the development and delivery of programmes to teach children about fishing, sustainability and water safety;
Enable all schools to have a regular outdoors education programme, where outdoor recreational experts and clubs can support teachers in educating students.

Heli-Hunting

It is UnitedFuture policy to:

Prohibit heli-hunting, herding or hazing from helicopters except for legitimate animal management operations when numbers warrant it.

You are here

What we’ve achieved: the Game Animal Council