Hon David Carter MP
National Party Agriculture Spokesman

28 October 2007

Conservation Minister should apologise over Bayly Trust fiasco

The Minister of Conservation Chris Carter has shown breathtaking arrogance in defending his department’s behaviour in the Bayly Trust case and should apologise, says National’s Agriculture spokesman David Carter.

“For the Minister to get up in the House and say he is ‘delighted to hear’ that DOC refused to negotiate while in mediation over Bayly’s conservation management plan with the trust and local councils is simply outrageous.

“This sort of attitude explains why DOC, under Labour’s watch, has become one of the most despised government departments that farmers have to deal with.

“The Bayly Trust has willingly conserved over 800 hectares of prime native bush, spending hundreds of thousands of dollars in the process, yet DOC was still determined to persecute them for wanting to clear a tiny amount of half dead scrub.”

Mr Carter is referring to revelations that despite earlier claims by the Minister, DOC clearly had an entrenched position and walked away from pre-trial mediation with the Bayly Trust.

The collapse of this mediation led to an Environment Court case in which DOC’s position was largely rejected by the Judge and Commissioners.

“It’s clear that DOC had no intention of entering mediation with an open mind and were instead hell bent on wasting over $100,000 on a court case they never had a hope of winning.

“The Trust is an environmental role model for Hawke’s Bay farmers and DOC should be encouraging them, not wasting taxpayers' money with futile legal action.

“We’re all committed to preserving New Zealand’s natural environment but this type of arrogant, high and mighty attitude from DOC and its Minister does nothing to help encourage this.

“For the sake of DOC I can only hope we see a change in attitude before its reputation suffers even more”.

ends

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