38544 (2025). Hon Priyanca Radhakrishnan to the Minister of Conservation

38544 (2025). Hon Priyanca Radhakrishnan to the Minister of Conservation: What is the scope of the engagement undertaken with post-settlement governance entities regarding potential land exchanges or disposals?

Hon Tama Potaka: When consultation on the Modernising Conservation Land Management discussion paper began in November 2024, the Department of Conservation held 25 regional hui with Iwi. After consultation closed, from March 2025 the Department has been specifically engaging with Iwi and post-settlement governance entities that have conservation-related redress, including proposed changes to statutory arrangements for exchange or disposal of conservation land. This consists of writing to and meeting with representatives of those entities, in order to progress discussions in good faith about how the legislation might uphold relevant Treaty settlement commitments. This engagement is ongoing. Additionally, the Department has been engaging with some pre-settlement groups that are expected to have conservation redress included as part of a future settlement.