The GAC has submitted on the Conservation Amendment Bill. You can read it here.
This consultation is the first time in 40 years that New Zealanders have an opportunity to improve how public conservation land across the country is managed.
Hunters have been advocating for a review of conservation legislation for some time now, and the Game Animal Council would like to thank everyone who took the time to share their views with us. Your feedback has helped shape our submission and ensure hunters’ voices are represented.
Background
In late November 2024, the Government started a public consultation process on proposals to modernise conservation legislation in New Zealand.
In February 2025, the Game Animal Council provided feedback on two proposals:
- Modernising conservation land management (PDF File)
- Exploring charging for access to some public conservation land (PDF File)
Representing hunter views
More than 160,000 New Zealanders hunt with recreational hunters harvesting more than half a million animals each year. Many of these hunters rely on access to public conservation land.
Hunters are more than just users of public conservation land though. Through their activities, hunters make a significant contribution to game animal management, environmental stewardship, conservation outcomes, food security, the economy, and rural communities.
Improving hunting opportunities for all hunters is at the core of the Game Animal Council’s work. As a large user group of conservation land and a significant contributor to its stewardship, hunters should be specifically recognised in decision-making processes for its management and care.
Summary of submission
We have submitted on the Bill in line with our mandate relating to hunting and game animals. The Conservation Amendment Bill is an opportunity to better recognise hunting, game animals and their management and the contribution hunters make to the economy, conservation, and communities.
Key points from our submission:
- Hunters must have a meaningful voice in decisions that affect hunting access, hunting opportunities and game animal management. The Game Animal Council is seeking formal recognition and representation of hunting interests within conservation planning and decision-making processes as an important safeguard against unintended decisions that may reduce hunting access, hunting opportunities or the effective management of game animals.
- The Game Animal Council Act 2013 recognises hunting and game animals as valued. The Game Animal Council is seeking changes to conservation legislation that strengthen the recognition of hunting, access, and game animal management objectives. This would include strengthening the role of the Game Animal Council in advising on hunting and game animal values at place.
- The hunting sector makes a significant contribution to conservation, game animal management, local communities and the economy. The Bill should recognise these contributions and ensure they are not unintentionally undermined by the new framework.
- The Game Animal Council supports the overall direction of modernising conservation legislation and improving planning and concession processes, provided hunting interests, hunting access and game animal management outcomes are appropriately recognised, valued, and protected.
Key concern: access
Hunters consistently raise access as a one of the top concerns relating to the future of hunting and game animals in New Zealand. Access to public conservation land is fundamental to hunting participation and the contribution hunters make to conservation and game animal management.
The Game Animal Council supports provisions that maintain and improve public access to hunting areas and oppose changes that may result in the loss of hunting access, hunting areas or hunting opportunities.
Key concern: fees
The Game Animal Council does not support the introduction of general access fees for New Zealand hunters accessing public conservation land. Public hunting access should remain freely available except in limited circumstances associated with specifically managed hunting opportunities or allocation systems.
Key concern: land exchanges and disposals
Land exchanges and disposals have long been part of New Zealand’s conservation framework. Decisions relating to land exchanges, disposals, visitor amenity areas and concessions should seek net-gain and ensure no-net-loss for public hunting access, hunting areas and hunting opportunities.
Key concern: decision-making
The introduction of a National Conservation Policy Statement and Area Plans will significantly influence future conservation management decisions. It is important that proposed frameworks provide for hunting and game animal management interests to be adequately recognised and represented during development, review and implementation of policy and planning documents.
This can only occur if consultation is undertaken during the development phase with statutory entities responsible for advising on access and public use, or species management on public conservation land, such as the Game Animal Council and Herenga ā Nuku Aotearoa, the Outdoor Access Commission.
Concession decisions should continue to recognise the importance of maintaining public access and hunting opportunities.
Read the GAC submission on the Conservation Amendment Bill here.