In response to ongoing public interest, 3 further public meetings have been added to the consultation process underway for the Accelerating Protection for Kauri project.
The extra meetings, to be held in West Auckland, Hamilton and Waiheke Island, are part of a series of 9 meetings that start this week in kauri regions – and further meetings may still be added, depending on demand.
Biosecurity New Zealand (part of the Ministry for Primary Industries), which manages the kauri dieback programme alongside partner organisations, is asking for people's thoughts on plans for the future management of the disease. This involves 3 rounds of public consultation, the second of which is now underway and runs through until 10 September.
John Sanson, manager recovery and pest management for Biosecurity New Zealand, says more meetings may yet be added to the current round of consultation, depending on demand, with additional targeted meetings also to be held with key interest groups.
The first round of consultation has recently been held, and feedback from this has helped inform the development of a refreshed management strategy, he says.
“The purpose of the consultation process is to gather feedback from anyone with an interest in protecting kauri, so that their ideas can help us shape our plans into the future, and we encourage people to get to one of the public meetings if they can – or otherwise make a submission to us directly,” he says.
Along with gathering feedback on the draft refreshed strategy, the current consultation is seeking people’s ideas to help shape the development of a National Pest Management Plan, and options for the creation of a new management agency to implement it.
“These measures will provide the strongest available biosecurity framework to support ongoing kauri protection efforts, which already involve a significant range of projects and initiatives that are underway across kauri lands,” Mr Sanson says.
The second phase of consultation runs until September 12. Public meetings in kauri regions started yesterday (27 August).
The Kauri Dieback Programme is a collaborative partnership between Biosecurity NZ, which coordinates the programme, tangata whenua, the Department of Conservation, the Auckland Council, and the Waikato, Northland, and Bay of Plenty Regional Councils.
Find out about the consultation and how to have your say
Public meeting timetable
Location
|
Date |
Time |
---|---|---|
Kaitaia |
Monday 27 August |
6.30pm – 9pm |
Whangarei |
Wednesday 29 August |
6.30pm – 9pm |
Auckland |
Thursday 30 August |
6.30pm – 9pm |
Auckland* |
Friday 31 August |
1pm – 4pm |
Auckland** |
Saturday 1 September |
6.30pm – 9pm |
Waiheke Island* |
Saturday 1 September |
11.30 am – 1.30pm |
Thames |
Sunday 2 September |
6.30pm – 9pm |
Hamilton* |
Monday 3 September |
6.30pm – 9pm |
Katikati |
Tuesday 4 September |
6.30pm – 9pm |
* New meetings. ** New venue.