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1. Tawaki
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   "Romancing Business: DOC's new vision" is the headline of this article in the National Business Review 26 November 2010.

   This article has a feature on Rob Fenwick who has a one year contract to set up a commercial business unit in DOC.

   DOC's principal purpose is to protect biodiversity but that doesn't mean it can't enable a "great deal more economic growth, both within the conservation estate and elsewhere" Mr Fenwick says.

   "It's my feeling, and I believe its Al Morrison's belief too, that DOC can satisfy all its obligations under the Conservation Act and its reason to be, and still be helpful and in fact fundamentally critical for businesses to flourish"

   Is flogging off a key part of the Craigieburn Conservation Park to appease the recreational and business interests of one of Australia's richest families a cornerstone of DOC's leadership strategy of "Romancing Business" ?

   Posted 1 year ago #

2. Tawaki
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   Unbelievably DOC right now are still processing the plans by the Porters Company called Blackfish to freehold 2 substantial chunks of mountain land. The land was purchased in 2004 by the Nature Heritage Fund for the Craigieburn Conservation Park and approved at that time by the Minister of Conservation as a Conservation Park addition. It is "specially protected land" under the Conservation Act and is therefore not legally available for exchange or sale.

   Canterbury DOC seems determined to show how business friendly they can be and has put great pressure on the Conservation Board and other conservation quangoes to support the freeholding.

   Porters skified shareholders, the Harvey family of Australia (of Harvey Norman homeware fame), are apparently determined that they must have freehold title to the Conservation Park land rather than operate it as an extension to their skifield under a DOC recreation concession which is how the Mt Hutt, Remarkables, Coronet Peak skifields all operate.

   Are the Harvey family the Australian equivalent of Warner Brothers of the US (The Hobbit), wanting special treatment under NZ law for their activities?

   My answer to them (sung with horrible loud music of their TV and radio adverts) is "Go Harvey Norman....Go back to Australia".

   Posted 1 year ago #

3. Tawaki
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   Now that the Government has turned down the Chinese Natural Dairy Company bid to buy the 14 Freehold Title Crafer farms scattered throughout the North Island, they need to be consistent for another foreign owner seeking to buy our high country heritage.

   The Government needs to decline to freehold 196 hectares of Craigieburn Conservation Park sought by the Harvey family of Australia.

   Harveys of Australia want to buy as freehold a publicly owned treasure that belongs to all New Zealanders, part of our national heritage of high country parks. The Chinese company wanted to buy something that was already in freehold title and not in public ownership.

   The decision about freeholding part of Craigieburn Conservation Park is to be made early in the New Year by the Director General of Conservation.

   He and his Minister need to hear your views on this issue because under the Conservation Act before making a decision they are required (amongst a whole range of considerations) to consider all the views expressed by the public.

   Posted 1 year ago #

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