Proposed Conservation Amendment Bill Threatens Settlement Redress

Written By Ashleigh Collis

E ngā uri o Te Korowai o Wainuiārua, tēnā koutou katoa,

In November 2024, the Minister of Conservation, Tama Potaka, and the Department of Conservation released a discussion document titled Modernising Conservation Land Management. This document outlined proposals to reform the management of conservation land across Aotearoa. A regional hui was held in February 2025 to gather feedback on the proposals.

This initiative comes alongside a wider legislative agenda being pushed by the Coalition Government, one that includes the controversial Treaty Principles Bill (now withdrawn after mass opposition) and the current Regulatory Standards Bill, which many have argued seeks to undermine the place of Te Tiriti o Waitangi in our legal and policy framework.

Submissions on the Regulatory Standards Bill close at 1pm, Monday 23 June 2025. Te Korowai o Wainuiārua Trust has filed a submission on behalf of our iwi, and we strongly encourage whānau to make individual submissions where possible.

A copy of our submission is attached for your reference. CLICK HERE

We have called on the Select Committee to:

  • Reject the Regulatory Standards Bill in its current form;

  • Require mandatory Tiriti impact assessments and enforceable Māori consultation in all future regulatory reforms;

  • Protect and uphold Māori rights, governance models, and settlement commitments in law and practice;

  • Commit to genuine co-design with iwi and hapū as Treaty partners before progressing legislative change.

Now, yet another Bill threatens our redress

The Government is now advancing the Conservation Amendment Bill, which has serious implications for the redress we secured through our Treaty settlement.

Our initial analysis shows the Bill will affect:

  • Our Area of Interest,

  • Decision-making authority around concessions,

  • Processes for land sales and reclassification,

  • Representation on Conservation Boards,

  • The ability to influence regulations and bylaws within our rohe.

We have urgently requested a meeting with the Department of Conservation and the Minister to raise these concerns and to ensure the integrity of our redress is upheld.

This is not just another policy shift, it is part of a broader pattern of legislative reforms that risk diluting Māori participation and Treaty-based governance. The Trust sees this as a direct affront to our constitutional status as a Treaty partner and to the aspirations of our people, who fought for recognition, equity, and enduring governance models that protect our taonga and uphold tino rangatiratanga.

We will continue to keep whānau informed and united in response to this kaupapa.

Ngā manaakitanga,
Te Korowai o Wainuiārua Trust

Ashleigh Collis
Next

Te Hangāruru Opens