Conservation

THE Southern Say column (ODT,

14.11.20) talks up Jacqui Dean’s enthusiasm for her conservation spokeswoman role. But if she’s to be effective, she’ll need to get up to speed with the fundamentals of conservation legislation.

Mrs Dean is on record as advocating for a balancing of conservation and recreation interests. However, the Conservation Act is clear: Doc can foster recreation and allow tourism, but only ‘‘to the extent that the use of any natural or historic resource for recreation or tourism is not inconsistent with its conservation’’. That’s not balance; it’s a hierarchy. David Barnes

Lower Hutt