Department of Conservation | Te Papa Atawhai
https://www.doc.govt.nz/
https://www.doc.govt.nz/
Introduction
The Government has made key policy decisions following public consultation.Government policy decisions
On 2 August 2025, the Government announced that it will make changes to conservation legislation. Drafting of the Conservation Acts (Land Management) Amendment Bill is underway.
The Bill is intended to be introduced to Parliament at the end of the year. Following introduction and first reading, a Select Committee process will take place and provide an opportunity for public input on the Bill.
Unleashing growth on conservation land: Media release 2 August 2025
Factsheet: Modernising conservation land management (PDF, 232K)
About this consultation
Department of Conservation Te Papa Atawhai (DOC) is the country’s biggest land manager and regulates how economic activity takes place on conservation land by issuing concessions, to ensure conservation outcomes are protected.
Recently, many organisations and entities have expressed that changes are needed to the management planning and concessions system. Concessions are slow and complicated to process.
As a responsible land manager, the Government also wants to ensure conservation land is managed and looked after properly. That includes flexibility around exchanges and disposals of public conservation land to improve conservation outcomes.
The Government has consulted on proposals to modernise how businesses work on public conservation land and to make it easier for them to work with DOC. This will in turn support DOC to deliver conservation results.
Discussion document
Discussion document (PDF, 4,883)
This discussion document sought feedback on options to:
- provide certainty for investment and achieve better economic outcomes through clear concession allocation settings
- cut processing times and costs on businesses through more proactive authorisation of activities
- unlock management planning through a more streamlined and flexible system
- enable more flexibility around the exchange and disposal of land where it makes sense from a conservation perspective
- clarify, and provide certainty about DOC’s Treaty obligations.
Summary of submissons
Summary of submissions (PDF, 2,181K)
Over 5,500 submissions were received from the public. Key themes from consultation have been collated and summarised in a summary ofs Submissions. Submissions opened on 15 November 2024 and closed at 5 pm 28 February 2025.
Supporting Cabinet papers and advice
You can find the Minister of Conservation’s Cabinet papers and related advice supporting this proposal below. Some information has been withheld consistent with the Official Information Act 1982.
- Modernising conservation land management: Approval to consult - Cabinet paper, Cabinet committee minute and associated advice (PDF, 40,038)
- Modernising conservation land management: Policy decisions - Cabinet paper, Cabinet committee minutes and regulatory impact statements (PDF, 48,477K)
Contact
Direct any questions regarding this work programme to landlegislation@doc.govt.nz.