DoC Funding Cuts a Disaster for Our Conservation Estate

New Zealand First says the drastic cuts to Department of Conservation funding for the second consecutive year shows a Government totally lacking in vision on how to protect our environment.

Conservation spokesperson Andrew Williams says the Government can find taxpayer dollars to subsidise Hollywood film The Hobbit but doesn’t think twice about putting our conservation estate at risk.

“Conservation Minister Nick Smith, and Tourism Minister John Key need to explain how they reconcile the cuts to DoC while trying to maintain the 100% Pure New Zealand brand.

“The environment is our tourism trump card but the latest round of cuts reduces the country’s commitment to the natural environment. What sort of message does that send to the world?

“If the Government hadn’t so badly mismanaged Novopay, Solid Energy, Whanau Ora and Team New Zealand, wasting hundreds of millions in the process, then the Government’s coffers wouldn’t be so strapped as to have to cut a further $8.7 million of DoC funding,” says Mr Williams.

ENDS

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