Rejection of Tunnel and Monorail Bids: Will This Be DOC’s Ultimate Conservation Week Present to NZ?

Saturday, 08 September 2012

Press Release: Not for Sale

Is DOC’s Empty Conservation Week Schedule in Fiordland a Hint of a Surprise Good News Announcement?

On the eve of Conservation Week in New Zealand, 09-16 September 2012, the Department of Conservation is calling on New Zealanders to ‘Love Your Parks’, and DOC has scheduled a number of events around the country to mark the celebration.

Curiously, no events have been scheduled for the Fiordland region – home to the country largest and wildest National Park (click here for link to DOC website).

Surely DOC has something special planned for visitors to Fiordland National Park for its most important week of the year. Speculation is therefore rife:

• Is DOC about to make its announcement that it has rejected both the Milford Dart Tunnel and Fiordland Link Experience Proposals?

• Is DOC going to announce that it has reconsidered the precedent-setting move towards privatisation of exclusive access to wilderness – and will reaffirm its historical commitment to protecting these most sacred common lands?

• Is the Minister of Conservation about to announce that she has heard the overwhelming response from the public – that they never wanted to see “asset sales by stealth” of the wilderness estate – and therefore she and her government are firmly committed to rejecting these development proposals and any others like it?

The conspicuous lack of any planned Conservation Week events in Fiordland has triggered a wave of anticipation that DOC and the Government are about to announce this important and long-awaited good news. Expectations are therefore running high that the coming week will give an extra-special reason to celebrate conservation in New Zealand.

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