7 Apr 2009: Tenure review report released

At the end of two years in this rewarding and challenging role, I feel as if my feet are firmly planted under the table. The role of the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment is wide-ranging and open-ended, and while it is no small task to prioritise and select issues to work on, it is also hugely exciting.

The mission that my staff and I have set ourselves is “To maintain or improve the quality of the environment by providing robust independent advice that influences decisions.” The challenge is that because I have no decision-making (or enforcing) powers, we must contribute to our goal by the power of persuasion, analysis and information.

Most recently my investigation into the environmental effects of high country tenure review has led to my independent report to Parliament. In the report I raise a number of concerns and issues that require action. These actions are in the form of recommendations to Ministers and agencies, and address both the process and the wider environmental issues.

The South Island high country is a special place and important to our economy. Tenure review and other processes are changing the way vast areas of high country are managed. All New Zealanders need to sit up and take notice of what’s happening there.

We’re a quarter way through enormous land ownership changes - and there are some problems. For example, it is clear that issues are falling between the cracks. But we can learn a lot from what has already happened and there’s still time to make changes. And that is what I am asking government to do.