NZCA Procedure for consideration of conservation management strategies and plans (2021)
This is the NZCA procedure for consideration of conservation management strategies (CMSs) and national park management plans (Plan). This is a statutory function of the Authority.

Adopted October 2013
Reviewed and amended December 2021

In line with the NZCA Strategic Priority: (A&B) (2), the Authority aims to approve a CMS by the third meeting after receipt. This procedure is to be followed in conjunction with the NZCA CMS Assessment Standard.

1. Conservation Board and DOC Ops Region

1.1 Inform the Authority that a full or partial review is commencing.

2. Full NZCA

2.1 Review this procedure and revise as required.

2.2 Establish a Committee

    • during a full meeting of the Authority, to consider the draft CMS/Plan in detail (committee members also receive other information received with the CMS/Plan e.g. summary of submissions, certificate of compliance etc).

2.3 Select a convenor

2.4 Delegate specific powers to the committee to establish in which circumstances the committee should consult with the full Authority:

    • October 2013 resolution: that each committee be delegated all the tasks necessary to complete the Authority’s consideration of a CMS/Plan excluding its approval; and
    • The Committee is required to formally report to the Authority as to progress, as appropriate, and advise it of any matters of significance about which the Committee has consulted the conservation board, DOC and/or any others.

3. Conservation Board and DOC Ops Region

3.1 Provide the draft CMS/Plan with all relevant material (including the Certificate of Compliance) to the Authority. [CA s17F(k)(ii)(l)] [NPA s47(5)(6)(7)]

4. Full NZCA

4.1 Receive the draft CMS/Plan with all relevant material (including the Certificate of Compliance).

4.2 Agree a date by which members will send comments on the draft CMS/Plan to NZCA servicing staff.

4.3 Read agreed sections and send comments to servicing staff by the date agreed to by the Authority.

5. Consultation with iwi, hapu, and whanau

5.1 Servicing staff to check Treaty settlements in the area of the CMS/Plan for any statutory obligations that the Authority must meet.

5.2 Servicing staff and convenor to initiate and then undertake consultation with affected iwi, hapu and whanau, as required.

5.3 Feedback from consultation to be conveyed back to the committee for step 10.

6. Committee

6.1 Read the full CMS/Plan and all supporting documents

    • Consider consistency between the CMS/Plan, legislation, and General Policy

6.2 Receive (from servicing staff) all Authority members’ comments/ questions on the draft CMS/Plan.

6.3 Consider which, if any, persons and organisations the Authority may wish to consult [CA s17F(m)].

6.4 Committee members consider and respond to all members comments/questions, providing response to servicing staff by specified date.

7. Convenor

7.1 Receive collated Committee responses from servicing staff.

7.2 Receive collated responses from any persons and organisations contacted in step 6.3.

7.3 Review Authority members’ comments/questions and Committee responses.

7.4 Seek to resolve any conflicting views: via

    1. Committee meeting
    2. Discussion with individuals

7.5  Identify any specific issues which require guidance of full Authority

    • If required, arrange discussion of these issues at next Authority meeting (continue to step 8)
    • If there are no issues requiring guidance of the full Authority, send comments to the Board, DOC Ops region, and/or any others (skip to step 9) [CA s17F(m)]

8. Full NZCA

8.1 Discuss specific issues identified in step 7.4, at a meeting.

8.2 Send comments to the Board, DOC Ops Region and/or any others.

9. Conservation Board and Ops Region and/or any others

9.1 Receive Committee/Authority comments/questions.

9.2 Consider and respond to Committee/Authority comments/questions.

10. Committee

10.1 Receive responses from Board, DOC Ops Region, iwi, hapu and whanau, and/or any others.

10.2 Consider responses from Board, DOC Ops Region, and others.

10.3 Provide Committee comments on responses (to servicing staff or convenor).

10.4 Committee may visit the DOC Ops Region (CMS) or national park for round table discussion with the Board (or its committee) and the DOC Ops Region. A fieldtrip may be arranged if considered necessary for the proper consideration of the Plan.

11. Convenor

11.1 Review Committee comments.

11.2 Seek to resolve any conflicting views via:

    1. Committee meeting
    2. Discussion with individuals

11.3 Send any matters still requiring resolution to the Board, DOC Ops Region, and/or any others.

    • Repeat steps 8, 9, and 10 until issues are resolved as far as possible before progressing to step 12.

12. Committee

12.1 Reach consensus that the draft CMS/Plan should either:

    1. be referred to the full Authority for discussion of outstanding matters (proceed to step 13), or
    2. be sent to the Minister of Conservation for their comment, providing the Minister with the draft CMS/Plan and other relevant information (e.g. summary of submissions). Explain what amendments, if any, the Authority proposes to take in response to its consultation (skip to step 14). [CA s17F(n)] [NPA s48(1)]

13. Full NZCA

13.1 Discuss outstanding matters at meeting.

13.2 Resolve outstanding matters.

13.3 Send the draft CMS/Plan (and other relevant information, e.g. summary of submissions) to the Minister of Conservation for their comment. Explain what amendments, if any, the Authority proposes to take in response to its consultation. [CA s17F(n)] [NPA s48(1)]

14. Minister of Conservation

14.1 Receive draft CMS/Plan from Committee.

14.2 Provide any comments on draft CMS/Plan to the Committee. [CA s17F(o)]

15. Committee

15.1 Receive and consider the Minister’s comments. [CA s17F(p)] [NPA s48(2)]

15.2 Agree on amendments, if any, as a result of Minister’s comments.

15.3 Reach consensus that the draft CMS/Plan should either:

    1. be referred to the full Authority for approval (skip to step 18), [CA s17F(p)(i)] or
    2. be sent back to the Minister for further consideration alongside any new information the Authority wishes the Minster to consider (proceed to step 16). [CA s17F(p) (ii)]

16. Minister of Conservation

16.1 Receive draft CMS/Plan from Committee, alongside any additional new information.

16.2 Provide any comments on draft CMS/Plan to the Committee [CA s17F(o)]

17. Committee

17.1 Receive and consider the Minister’s comments.

17.2 Agree on amendments, if any, as a result of Minister’s comments.

18. Full NZCA

18.1 Receive the report from the Convenor, on behalf of the Committee, at an Authority meeting:

    • The convenor, on behalf of the Committee will recommend the approval of the draft CMS/Plan
    • Committee members have the opportunity to also report to the Authority

18.2 Approve final draft CMS/Plan by resolution (unless this is delegated to the Committee - unusual). [CA s17F(pi)] [NPA s48(3)]

18.3 Advise the Minister of amendments made to the CMS/Plan in response to their comments.

18.4 Advise the Conservation Board and DOC Ops Region that the CMS/Plan is approved, and the date at which it will become operational.