Hon Nick Smith MP
National Party Conservation Spokesman

6 December 2006

Good reserve: bad process

National welcomes approval of the new marine reserve on Wellington's south coast but believes the process for creating such reserves needs urgent reviewing, says National Party Conservation spokesman Nick Smith.

"The process for creating marine reserves is too divisive and slow if we are to protect more of New Zealand's marine area. We must reform the legislation urgently.

"It is farcical that it takes 14 years to make a decision on a marine reserve.

"As well as wanting to improve processes under the Resource Management Act to reduce delays, National also wants to reduce delays in advancing new marine reserves.

"The Government needs to stop procrastinating on its Marine Reserves Bill - which has been marooned in select committee for more than four years - and provide a better system for protecting our precious marine environment."

ENDS

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