Press Release from The NZ Outdoors Party
Controversial Predator Control “Battle For Our Birds” Has Changed
The Department of Conservation has quietly re branded its highly controversial predator control programme “Battle For Our Birds” to “Tiakina Nga Manu” which translated means “To look after the birds”. The NZ Outdoors Party congratulates the Department for listening to the many New Zealanders who found DOC’s former slogan “Battle For Our Birds” to be aggressive and to clash with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s plea for a kinder and more compassionate New Zealand and respect for diversity.
Outdoors Party co-leader Alan Simmons said: “Its excellent news that DoC is finally starting to understand the futility and depth of feeling against the government’s self-created “Battle against Nature”. The public wants to be proud of New Zealand’s great outdoors, not have our wildlife, forests and waterways regularly dosed in deadly poison in a blind mission to try to kill rats and stoat at any cost. DOC’s “us and them” stance has isolated it from the public and caused communities to fear, rather than celebrate, DOC’s work. This has resulted in protests all over New Zealand. Outdoors people are increasingly calling for a change from DOC’s reliance on poison towards “compassionate conservation,” to make ecosystems healthier and more resilient. This fits well with the Prime Minister’s own compassionate vision for New Zealand. “
The recent news of an estimated 30 Kea being killed by 1080 poison in the Whataroa https://outdoorsparty.co.nz/1279-2/ is a recent example where the indiscriminate use of poisons has killed rather than saved our iconic endangered birds.
Alan Simmons has in the past called on the Government to act responsibly and place an immediate moratorium on any further aerial 1080 poison operations and move to more targeted ground-based control operations.
“Just changing the name of DOC’s battle against nature is not enough” Alan said. “The Department of Conservation needs to review its whole approach, reconnect with the public, obtain a public mandate for its activities and to recognise the public demand to protect our waterways, protect our wild food and start to work with nature. The public are increasingly recognising the future is in compassionate conservation. How long will it take for the government to follow?”
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Further Contact.
Alan Simmons
07 386 7576
0274 980 304
outdoorsparty.co.nz
