17 March 2016 MEDIA STATEMENT

DOC struggling to protect our biodiversity

The outlook for New Zealand’s indigenous species is grim after a new report found the Department of Conservation has made few improvements in managing biodiversity, Labour’s Conservation spokesperson Nanaia Mahuta says.

“The Auditor-General’s report Prioritising and Partnering to Manage Biodiversity found the Department has made limited progress in following up its 2012 recommendations.

“It found the Department needs to improve the way it works with partners to better tackle the battle against the threats to New Zealand’s indigenous species and the habitats they live in.

“Since restructuring DOC, the Government has failed to adequately fund the core activities of the Department to protect biodiversity.

“In 2012 the OAG said that while the Department was recognised for its leading conservation methods and practices, ‘it was not winning and they were merely slowing the decline in biodiversity.’

“Funding long-term plans to carry out biodiversity protection with measures that partner groups and local Councils can assess progress is important.

“The Minister needs to turn her attention to the crisis that DOC is facing and adopt these recommendations with some urgency,” says Nanaia Mahuta

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