Conservation Amendment Bill submissions extended by 10 days

Submissions on the Conservation Amendment Bill have been extended by a week-and-a-half after the minister requested the committee facilitate a broader discussion about the proposed legislation.

Last week, Tama Potaka announced he would remove a controversial clause in a proposed law that would allow more conservation land to be sold. Read more

Potaka told the Environmental Defence Society conference the country's understanding of the Conservation Amendment Bill differed to his intention.

He has since written to the Environment Committee considering the bill indicating the government had changed its position on the provision relating to land exchange and disposals.

He asked that the committee delete those provisions from the bill as part of the re-drafting process and requested the committee facilitate a broad conversation about clause 6, which would amend the purpose of the Conservation Act.

"In light of the Government's intention to remove these provisions, I hope that this notification of the change in the Government's position will enable the Environment Committee to focus their scrutiny on other aspects of the Bill," Potaka wrote in his letter.

He also asked for the submission period to be extended, which was due to close on Thursday.

Now people will have until midday on Monday 13 July to submit. For those who have already submitted, these still stand.

The committee agreed to all the requests, and also stated it would hold public hearings in due course where matters could be discussed in more detail.