Game Animal Council (Herds of Special Interest) Amendment Act 2026

The Game Animal Council (Herds of Special Interest) Amendment Act was passed in June 2026. It clarifies that a herd of special interest (HOSI) can be established in a national park, and that the requirement to exterminate or eradicate introduced animals under the National Parks Act 1980 does not apply to a herd designated as a HOSI. This results in benefits for the herd, for hunters, for conservation and for community.

Read the Game Animal Council (Herds of Special Interest) Amendment Act 2026 here.

About HOSI

A HOSI is a herd of game animals on public conservation land that is managed for hunting, while continuing to protect the natural conservation values of the area. HOSI are designated by the Minister for Hunting and Fishing.

The ability to designate a HOSI is only possible through the Game Animal Council Act 2013 which is the first piece of legislation in New Zealand to recognise and manage game animals as valued introduced species. HOSI is used to manage highly valued game animal herds in specific locations to improve hunting, conservation and community outcomes.

HOSI represents a shift towards a future management framework that recognises the value of game animals and supports and empowers hunter and community led conservation efforts. By shifting from a model focused solely on control or eradication, we can promote sustainable, respectful, and collaborative environmental stewardship of New Zealand’s natural environment while benefitting from these species.

Learn more about HOSI here.

Timeline

12 May 2025: Bill introduced.
24 June 2025: First reading.
24 June 2025: Select Committee, including public consultation.
20 November 2025: Second reading.
24 June 2026: Committee of Whole House.
25 June 2026: Third Reading.
30 June Royal Assent (this is when the Bill becomes law).

GAC Submission

The GAC provided a written and oral submission during consultation on the GAC (HOSI) Amendment Bill in June 2025. The GAC submission was supported by expert evidence from several leading experts in game animal management and hunting in New Zealand. This evidence can be found from page 24 of the submission.

The full GAC written submission can be found here (PDF File).

Following the written submission, the GAC presented to the Environmental Select Committee. You can watch the GAC oral submission here:

Sector submissions

The GAC (HOSI) Amendment Bill generated a lot of support across the hunting community. There were 2,946 submissions received, of which 52% were in clear support of the Bill. 28% of submissions did not express a clear position on the proposed amendment, however the majority expressed support for HOSI, game animals and hunting more broadly. 20% of submissions opposed the Bill.

Over ninety submitters presented to the Select Committee in person or online, representing hunters, conservationists, iwi, and environmental NGOs.

The most common reasons for supporting the Bill included:

Support for hunting activities generally, including the potential for HOSI to enhance these (32%).
The amendment would allow for maintained and/or improved native biodiversity protection (26%).
Support for hunter-led management of game animals (25%).
Recognising herds of value within New Zealand (21%).
The economic and tourism benefits of hunting (14%).

Archived updates

See previous updates from the GAC on the GAC (HOSI) Amendment Bill below. These were correct at the time of publication and have been loaded as PDF Files.