DOC job losses further blow to conservation

The loss of more than 100 Department of Conservation staff is yet another blow to the preservation of New Zealand's natural heritage, Labour's Conservation Spokesperson Ruth Dyson says.

"Kate Wilkinson has already allowed other Ministers to trample over conservation values, with proposals for mining in national parks being actively pursued. Now we see the loss of a group of specialised staff whose voices would have been hugely valuable in the policy debate.

"These workers - technical staff and experts in their field - are the very people who would have alerted the Minister to any environmental consequences of her plans," Ruth Dyson said.

"At the same time, the Ministry of Economic Development is increasing the number of staff it has to process those mining applications.

"The message from this is clear - the Minister of Conservation has abdicated her responsibility as guardian of our conservation land.

"The cuts will also affect local tourism, one of our most valuable income earners, and impact on the information currently available to visitors and to residents in regional centres.

"Cutting frontline staff is a short sighted policy which will have long term negative consequences," Ruth Dyson said.

"The Minister was unable to stand up for her Department in the Budget round She gave away millions of dollars because she was too weak to fight to keep her Department safe.

"Now we will see the public voice for conservation in the most critical area of mining in national parks lost, our tourism industry weakened, and more people on the unemployment scrapheap.

"It sounds like a lose-lose situation to me," Ruth Dyson said.

© Scoop Media