Conservation versus Tourism – Minister responds

From Maggie Barry, first link: "We fund DOC to a level that is necessary for DOC to do the work that it does." .. "so the idea that Cabinet hasn't prioritised it is wrong." What a quote!

they fund DOC to a level National think is necessary... despite no one in national having a decent background to understand how much work DOC has to do to carry out their work. and what it really costs to maintain a DOC estate that is a third of NZ in some of the most difficult terrain in the world with some of the harshest weather text summary of the interview here http://www.voxy.co.nz/politics/5/252247

Would there be a transcript of this anywhere?

another video article http://tvnz.co.nz/q-and-a-news/paradise-under-pressure-video-6472448

transcript http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/doc-not-underfunded-maggie-barry-b-189336

After reading that transcript my main response is - Bugger! I thought MB is really tuned into Conservation - how naive I was! I feel quite depressed by what she said. Amongst which was "we are affectively stopping other players coming into the market and setting up campgrounds, because no one can undercut a $6 a night camping ground fee" Oh dear - can we now expect some of those wonderful DoC campgrounds being shut down, or the fees going up? When we travel we always head for those campgrounds and ignore private ones. Why spend twice as much, or more, for stuff we do not use, or need. (That was a cry from a lifelong 'freedom camper'! lol ) I've accepted that freedom camping is no longer an option for me, now the Nats may be thinking they can't allow those greenies to get cheap camping. MB also must be dreaming if she thinks "other players" will start up camp grounds. They are closing down not starting up.

As for staff numbers dropping. Still happening here. Disgruntled would be a factor. Sad that keen, dedicated workers who are so often ready to go that extra bit beyond their job requirements are treated so shabbily. Keenness in volunteers is obviously appreciated, why not in the workers? When MB recently walked the Heaphy how nice it must have been having her food etc helicoptered in. Not to mention nice, private accommodation in the warden's quarters. Can't mix in with the plebs apparently. Sad. I'd better head into the bush and let it all go! lol

"Sad that keen, dedicated workers who are so often ready to go that extra bit beyond their job requirements are treated so shabbily" DoC don't have a monopoly on this; it's pretty much the norm everywhere these days. Almost forty years of neo-liberalism has steadily eroded what us New Zealanders used to imagine was our sovereignty, our ability to define what our country would look like and what we'd value. Mostly gone now; only a shrinking handful of cantankerous old pharts like me who have any idea what I'm talking about.

Maggie Barry must stop fudging the figures and come clean about Department of Conservation under-funding, the Green Party said today. http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1605/S00413/minister-must-come-clean-on-conservation-funding.htm