Press Release. Dec 7 2013

Alan Simmons
United Future Outdoors Spokesperson.

Outdoors People need to build on the success of the Game Animal Council.

Now that the Game Animal Council bill is passed into law Outdoors people need to continue the momentum for political change and greater recognition for the great New Zealand outdoors, the kiwi way and the stunning environment surrounding us.

Alan Simmons the United spokesperson for Outdoors said that Peter Dunne and United had done hunters proud in pursuing this innovative legislation and seeing it through to legislation.

Mr Simmons said the he could remember hunters talking about Game Animal recognition and management when he first joined a Deerstalkers club in 1967 It was the dream of older hunters back then and it is a shame it has taken 50 years or more to happen.

Hunters need to get in behind the new Game Animal Council and make it a shining example of what outdoors people can do to manage the hunting resources without the extermination policies of the past. Hunter safety and education are two areas the Game Animal council will need to address as well as 1080 and helihunting, issues which dominate outdoors discussions.

Hunters, fisherman, trampers and all lovers of the New Zealand outdoors need to reclaim the outdoors from the fringe left who will not rest until the last deer is poisoned and our only form of transport is a  bicycle.

Real outdoors people are out there doing it and their concern for the environment is enhanced by participating in the New Zealand environment unlike the zealots who claim priority over the green space.

It is anglers who fight for clean freshwater and sustainable fish stocks, hunters who protect swamplands and lobby against 1080, climbers who advocate for pristine mountains while trampers look after huts and tracks. It is time for the real outdoors people to take the argument back to real people and real users.

The United Party has shown they are the champions of the environment and outdoor recreation. Party Leader Peter Dunne said environmental policy had been "hijacked by the political left, and have accordingly succumbed to the notion that unless you are a Green, you cannot have any concern for our environment".

Party membership has increased dramatically with 69% of its members now indicating outdoors, environment and farming as their areas of interest and these values will be highlighted in
2014 election policy.

Mainstream New Zealanders do care about environmental issues and the mainstream giant is stirring from its slumbers.

ENDS

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