Section 4 of the Conservation Act is one of the strongest Treaty clauses in New Zealand law.

The Government says it is keeping it.

But the Conservation Amendment Bill would add a new section 4A that appears to reduce “give effect to the Treaty principles” to a much weaker set of procedural steps for some of the biggest decisions affecting public conservation land.

This matters for concessions, conservation planning, land disposals, economic development — and the future of te Tiriti in conservation law.

Submissions close just before midnight on Thursday 2 July 2026.