Barry Soper: Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent on the Government announcing conservation law reform

There's claims new legislation brings the most significant reform of conservation law in nearly 40 years.

A Government bill's been lodged, to allow reinvestment of international visitor fees into conservation, with estimates it'll raise $60 million a year.

The reform will also speed up DOC decision making, with claims it will add consistency to processes for applying Treaty obligations.

Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says tourism on conservation land brings in billions every year, and it helps create jobs for Kiwis. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
And Barriso for senior political Correspondence with US.

Speaker 2 (00:02):
Hello Barry, good afternoon hither. I'll tell you what though,
if there was ever a case for the broadcasting standards
authorities to be white, is the case at the Taj
Mahal that.

Speaker 1 (00:14):
Do you agree? Oh?

Speaker 2 (00:16):
I listened to it earlier, and I've listened to the
actual piece of it, and I think, if, really, if
that's what they've got to worry about. I find it
interesting that John Gillespie was one that upheld it, and
he used to work at TV and Z. I don't
probably work there, No, probably worked there when Paul Henry went.

Speaker 3 (00:32):
Barry with no disrespect to John galis because he's genuinely
a nice man.

Speaker 1 (00:36):
He's a nice man.

Speaker 3 (00:37):
He embodies the culture of TV and Z, which is
to constantly be absolutely scared of your own shadow. But
I mean, if you're going to be so thin skinned
that you're going to find that offensive, get off the
BSA because everything's going to.

Speaker 2 (00:50):
Total And the Mahal is a wonderful place. I went
there once and had Helen Clark posing on the love
seat once occupied by Lady Die.

Speaker 1 (00:59):
Did you also get the screamers?

Speaker 2 (01:02):
I couldn't find a toilet myself.

Speaker 1 (01:03):
Well, yes, Now, what's what's going on with the conservation.

Speaker 2 (01:07):
Well, Tama Potucker, they announced it, great fanfare about it
this afternoon. They say it's the biggest conservation legislation in
almost forty years, so that's how old the last Conservation
Act is. So they're upgrading it. And the point that
Portucker made was that tourism on conservation land generates about

(01:32):
five point three billion dollars a year, and of course
with that, it supports jobs across the community and businesses
and regional economies. So it's time that this Act was updated.
The faster and easier way to get concessions by removing

(01:52):
unnecessary rules that you have to undertake to get any
permission to do anything on the conservation of state. So
they'll cut the red tape and speed up the decision making.
There'll be clearer and more consistent processes for applying the
treaty obligations. The bill also, well I'm not sure they

(02:15):
haven't spelt it out in the release that I got
the devil, Well, that's true. Yeah, And the bill also
enables international visitor access chargers at a small number of
highly visited sites. Now well, you'll know hither when you
go overseas, you're obviously always coughing up to get into

(02:36):
certain parks and what have you. So it's about time
that we did that.

Speaker 1 (02:39):
It has just just come out of been released under embargo.

Speaker 2 (02:42):
Others afternoon.

Speaker 1 (02:43):
Yeah, just wonder if hey, keV, do you think we
should get Tama Portaco on will have a chat about that.
I think we might need to talk to Tama. We'll
have a quarterdal in the air.

Speaker 3 (02:52):
Oh god, yeah, Okay, what's going on in this English
Language Bill?

Speaker 2 (02:56):
Well, you know, I thought i'd have a look at
it today and just where it is at. How many
official languages do you think we've got in New Zealand? Two?

Speaker 1 (03:04):
Yeah, sign language and three or Mahari?

Speaker 2 (03:06):
Absolutely. Well, see if somebody asked me that question, I'd
say three. I'd say the English Language will be one
of them. But it's not. So. Winston brought the bill
in and it'll be reported back on September the third.
But I just thought i'd go back and have a
look at this bill and what its introduction to Parliament

(03:26):
was like. During a fiery debate in Parliament in February
that was at its first reading, Winston Peters who made
the case for the bill. It was part of the
twenty twenty three coalition negotiations with a National Party, and
I think it should be an official language anyway. I
had to have a listen to Winston Peters again introducing

(03:47):
the bill and thought you'd enjoy it too.

Speaker 4 (03:49):
The purpose of introductory speechies that some ignoramisis like, you
might learn why the bill is being bought the first time.
Just use plain language English, thank you, the bill provides,
going well, I know that some people have limitations when
it comes to our language, but I'm not one of them.
We have alarming examples of our essential health services and
hospitals and online first responders on their vehicles and communications

(04:13):
not being able to get to the basis because they
don't know where they're going. See, that's a laughing matter
over there. I just said this so called lawyer from
the place church thinking it's funny. You think it's hilarious.
Let me tell you I was a far more successful
lawyer than you, sunshine.

Speaker 2 (04:29):
So that was the level of the debate. But look,
we're going to see it as an official language clearly
pretty soon. I think before the election we will probably
see that that the points that he made and that
were made during the debate, I went back to. It
was that, look, there is confusion when Moldy is only
used for certain reference points in New Zealand and yet

(04:53):
they're listed in the country under English, and so there
is confusion in that way. I think it's about time
that right, Hey.

Speaker 3 (05:01):
Last night you were too grumpy to tell me, but
you've got some good news about your book today and
I still don't know what it is.

Speaker 1 (05:06):
Did you get it?

Speaker 2 (05:08):
Well, it was the Nielsen best seller survey and might
have only been on because basically it's sold out now,
but it was only on for four days and it's
the top best seller in the country across all titles.
So it's not just politics and stuff, but.

Speaker 1 (05:25):
It's we have some dumb people who want to I'm
only teasing. I'm only teasing. Well done you, that's really excellent.
Should be very proud of yourself, very so for senior
political correspondent.

Speaker 4 (05:33):
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