The NZ Outdoors & Freedom Party is calling on all everyday New Zealanders, hunters, fishers, 4WD clubs, jet boaters, and outdoor enthusiasts to fiercely oppose the Government’s newly introduced Conservation Amendment Bill, labeling it a direct assault on the traditional Kiwi way of life.
The Bill, touted by Conservation Minister Tama Potaka as a move to “cut red tape,” introduces a dangerous new statutory mandate requiring the Department of Conservation (DOC) to actively identify and enable commercial and economic development on public land “to the greatest extent practicable.”
“This is not about cutting red tape; it provides for a return to Rogernomic style privatisation of public resources in this case our Outdoors is the scene for a corporate takeover of the Kiwi backcountry,” says Sue Grey, Leader of the NZ Outdoors & Freedom Party & Candidate for West Coast Tasman.
“For generations, our public conservation land has belonged to the people of New Zealand. It is where we tramp, camp, hunt, fish and explore. This Bill shifts the priority from public recreation to private profit, effectively handing the keys of our wilderness over to commercial operators and wealthy tourism moguls.”
The Party warns that recreational users face severe disadvantages if the Bill passes in its current form:
- Public Voices Silenced: The Bill strips away the automatic right to a public hearing for notified concession applications. If a major corporation wants exclusive rights to a valley or river access, everyday Kiwis lose their guaranteed right to look decision-makers in the eye and object. Public input will now be entirely at the Minister’s discretion.
- 60-Year Lockouts: The Bill doubles the current maximum lease term, allowing the Minister to grant exclusive commercial leases on public land for up to 60 years. “A 60-year lease means our children and grandchildren will be locked out of public spaces for their entire lifetimes so a private eco-lodge or commercial developer can turn a profit,” the Party states.
- 60% of Public Land Vulnerable: While the Government claims National Parks are safe, the Bill significantly loosens constraints on swapping and disposing of the other 60% of the conservation estate—including stewardship land, forest parks, and river margins. These are the areas where the vast majority of New Zealand’s 4WD tracks, hunting blocks, and jet boat launches are located.
- The Death of Volunteer Recreation: By legally forcing DOC to prioritize economic opportunities, volunteer clubs who spend their own time and money maintaining backcountry huts, boat ramps, and 4WD tracks will be pushed to the back of the queue, unable to compete with cashed-up corporate entities.
“The open, unrestricted Kiwi backyard is a birthright, not a commodity to be carved up and leased out to the highest bidder,” says the NZ Outdoors & Freedom Party. “We are already seeing our freedom of movement and access chipped away across New Zealand. We cannot and will not stand by while the government legalizes the slow privatisation of our public lands.”
The party is urging every outdoor club, recreational user, and freedom-loving New Zealander to make a formal submission to the Environment Select Committee before the closing date on Thursday, July 2, 2026.
“It takes less than five minutes to stand up for your lifestyle. Go to the Parliament website, tell the committee that our public land must remain free, open, and prioritized for the people of New Zealand, and demand that this corporate land-grab be stopped in its tracks.”
Submissions Close 2nd July Conservation Amendment Bill Submission – New Zealand Parliament.
