The Government of Orcs Want to Sell Our Precious Conservation Lands
I’m sure you are well aware of the bill going through the parliament process that will allow the government to sell identified ‘low value’ parts of our conservation estate. ‘Bibs and bobs’, according to the Minister of Conservation (that’s an oxymoron) but the fact is that the bill doesn’t specify what the ‘bibs and bobs’ are, and so the minister will be able to define these for himself. Sure, there is probably some land in the conservation estate that is genuinely low value, but let’s have this defined in the legislation. I’d trust this government as far as I could throw an elephant, so we can’t allow this bill to pass.
In case you have been living under a rock and don’t know much about this bill, Forest & Bird have done the work for you by listing major areas of value that are in danger under this bill. This list is frightening.
Public conservation land maps show risk of sale
‘A few of the numerous areas at risk of sale or exchange could include parts of the following areas, if they are not considered to be “important for the conservation of threatened species or threatened ecosystems, or both” or if they are not considered to be “the best, or one of the best” examples of ecosystem-type in an ecological district:
Upper North Island: Aotea Conservation Park on Great Barrier Island, Coromandel Forest Park, Cathedral Cove Recreation Reserve.
Lower North Island: Kaimai Mamaku Conservation Park, Kaimanawa Forest Park, Manawatu Gorge Scenic Reserve, Tararua Forest Park.
Upper South Island: Mt Richmond Forest Park, Ka Whata Tu o Rakihouia Conservation Park – Seaward Kaikōura ranges, Takaka Hill Scenic Reserve.
Lower South Island: Victoria Forest Park, Lake Kaniere Scenic Reserve, Conservation Area Wanganui / Otira Catchments, Remarkables Conservation Area, Catlins Conservation Park.’
Yep, those places sure are ‘bibs and bobs’ of low conservation value, without a doubt.
Greenpeace has also joined in.
New map highlights mining threat associated with controversial Conservation Amendment Bill
‘Greenpeace campaigner Gen Toop says, “The Government wants to make it easier to commercially exploit and sell off public conservation land, at the same time that it is pursuing an aggressive mining push. This map helps connect the dots.”
“Our map shows that some of Aotearoa’s most irreplaceable and world-renowned areas sit above minerals that mining corporations would no doubt love to plunder. These places are at even greater risk now because of this egregious Bill.”
“Once ancient forests are bulldozed and dug up, mountains blasted apart and rivers polluted by toxic mine drainage, we cannot get those precious ecosystems back.”
The Conservation Amendment Bill would change the purpose of the Conservation Act, and make it easier to sell off or exchange around five million hectares, 60 percent of the conservation estate. ‘
The article includes a link to an interactive online map, as shown in the following snapshot.
Everything marked in orange is on the table for sale, including to multinational mining corporations, the very organisations that Chief Orc Shane Jones went to meet in Canada at a cost of $63,000. Corruption?
If any of this land is sold for mining or other capitalist enterprises, it has gone for good. Mining is so destructive that it is impossible to either restore the land or to save endangered species.
Happy? Ready to vote for any of the three Orc parties, and so throw away our treasured conservation lands?
Those of you who don’t have goldfish memories (Ted Lasso) will remember that the last National led government under John Key wanted to sell off sections of Great Barrier Island, again for mining purposes, but due to the mass protests in Auckland and around the country they were forced to abandon this plan. You’ll note that Great Barrier Island is back on the list.
This government, as with the Key led government, have forgotten, or are ignorant, or are choosing to ignore, the salient fact that any government holds these land on trust for the nation, not for their own political purposes. These lands are not their’s to sell to their International big corporation mates.
But there’s more than is shown on these maps or in the list published by Forest & Bird. Even small conservation areas will be at risk. The following video, made by ‘Shoes Off Kiwi’ shows in stark detail how little areas of beauty in the Taranaki area are also at risk. This video, as with all his videos, is beautifully made.
The Quiet Change That Could Transform NZ Forever
I hadn’t fully appreciated the extent of the risk to our conservation lands until I watched this. How many local jewels in your area are also at risk?
Greenpeace has a petition which can be signed here,
They have also provided a template for making a submission to the select committee.
Submit Now To Oppose The Sale of Conservation Land
It’s now or never.
It is not all worth holding on too. It is similar to the situation in Christchurch after the earthquake not all building could be saved .
And soon the Eye of Mar-a-Largo and their oligarch mining buddies will have their gaze fixed here.
Just remember humaniods, there is no ‘government’. There’s only neoliberalism and neoliberalism is all and only about the money they , the ‘thems’ can rort us for.