Controversial Aoraki/Mt Cook review restarts
The Department of Conservation (DOC) has revived a controversial review of management plans for Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park.
DOC pressed pause on the process in February last year, at the request of Nga¯ i Tahu.
It came after a landmark Supreme Court ruling in favour of Auckland’s Nga¯ i Tai hapu¯ , who had argued the Crown breached Treaty of Waitangi principles by granting tourism concessions on the Hauraki Gulf islands of
Motutapu and Rangitoto.
The plans set down the guidelines for how the park and its epic landscapes, waterways, protected species and all human activity will be managed for the coming decade.
But the proposals – as well as a draft management plan for Westland Tai Poutini National Park – brought a storm of controversy.
The plan for Westland Tai Poutini National Park – which includes the Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers – is still on ice. Over the last year, the region has been hit by devastating storms which twice cut off the main highway.
The storm events – and a separate legal challenge over the Paparoa National Park draft management plan – slowed progress.
DOC and the iwi agreed to separate the two review processes.
DOC received 1361 submissions on the Westland Tai Poutini plan, and 889 for Aoraki/ Mt Cook.
The consultation process closed in early February 2019. But on the same day, DOC announced it had halted both drafts, at the request of Nga¯i Tahu. It came after the Supreme Court decision in favour of Nga¯ i Tai hapu¯ .
According to documents released to Stuff under the Official Information Act, DOC and Nga¯ i Tahu representatives met in June, July and December 2019.
At a hui with Nga¯i Tahu on
February 25, a decision to restart the draft management plan review was confirmed.
Notes from a meeting between DOC and the NZ Alpine Club suggest that after re-drafting, submitters would be re-notified, allowed to give feedback and hearings held.
Natasha Hayward, DOC director of planning, permissions and land, said: ‘‘No changes to the draft plans have been made at this time.’’
Forest & Bird’s Nicky Snoyink said the group was pleased the review had restarted. She hoped submitters would have a chance to be heard on any redraft.