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A Threat Management Plan for the New Zealand sea lion is to be developed in response to this season’s low pup count on the Auckland Islands, Conservation Minister Dr Nick Smith announced today from the HMNZS Wellington at Port Ross in conjunction with Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy.

Conservation Minister Nick Smith today inspected the site of a proposed new research station to be named after the late Sir Peter Blake on the east coast of the main Auckland Island in the Subantarctic.

Conservation Minister Dr Nick Smith today formally established three new marine reserves covering 435,000 hectares of ocean surrounding the Antipodes, Bounty and Campbell Islands from Perseverance Harbour, Campbell Island.

"The New Zealand Subantarctic Islands are one of the most pristine places on earth and these marine reserves are about keeping them that way. The marine reserve status that takes effect today means there can be no fishing, no mining, no petroleum exploration and no marine farming in these waters,” Dr Smith says.

Tourism businesses viewing great white sharks will be required to have a permit in the same way as for whale, dolphin and seal watching, Conservation Minister Dr Nick Smith announced today following meetings with the tourism operators and concerned divers on Stewart Island.

“There is a place for tourism operators that enable people to see these magnificent great white sharks in the wild, but a permit system is needed to ensure it is done responsibly,” Dr Smith said.

Four giant timber viaducts built nearly a century ago in the rugged Waitutu Forest on the south coast of the Fiordland National Park are to be restored in an agreement between the Department of Conservation, the Southland District Council and the Port Craig Viaduct Trust, Conservation Minister Dr Nick Smith announced today.

Conservation Minister Dr Nick Smith departs Bluff tomorrow afternoon on the HMNZS Wellington on its annual service trip to the Bounty, Antipodes, Campbell, Auckland and Snares Islands.

“I do feel privileged to have the opportunity to visit these remote but very special parts of New Zealand. These islands are conservation treasures with unique species of penguins, albatross and sea lions, and we have a global responsibility for their protection,” Dr Smith says.

Families in the Bay of Plenty, Capital and Coast, Hawkes Bay, Hutt Valley, Lakes, Northland, Tairawhiti and Waikato district health board areas with children at risk of rheumatic fever will be fast-tracked to the top of the waiting list for state housing from 1 March, Housing Minister Dr Nick Smith announced today.

Housing Minister Dr Nick Smith today announced the start of a trial Warrant of Fitness scheme on Housing New Zealand homes.

“This Government is committed to improving the quality of housing to help achieve our goals of better social, health and educational outcomes for New Zealanders. Our first step was to insulate every state house that could be insulated. This was completed last year. The next step is developing a practical minimum standard and applying this to our state houses,” Dr Smith says.

Twenty-two new affordable rental houses were opened in Māngere, Auckland today by Housing Minister Dr Nick Smith and Pacific Island Affairs Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga, as part of the Government’s programme of expanding the community housing sector.

“This Matanikolo Project provides warm, dry, safe and affordable housing for 22 families who have previously been living in crowded, unstable or otherwise unsuitable accommodation. These new homes will hugely enhance the quality of life and future prospects for the 100 expected new residents,” Dr Smith says.

The process to establish three large marine reserves in the Subantarctic Islands is almost complete with Parliament passing a bill through its third and final reading, Conservation Minister Dr Nick Smith said today.

Proposals are being sought for the development of about 275 affordable homes on an 11.5 hectare site in Hornby, Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee and Housing Minister Dr Nick Smith announced today.

“We need to increase housing supply to assist with Christchurch’s recovery and we need more housing in the affordable range,” Mr Brownlee says.

“This proposal is about facilitating the private sector to develop land the Government owns to address Christchurch’s housing needs.”

A new technical report on housing foundation will help lift the pace of Christchurch’s housing recovery, Housing Minister Dr Nick Smith said today.

“The problem of what to do with the tens of thousands of homes with damaged foundations is difficult, expensive and hugely frustrating for homeowners. This technical report is a major step forward in determining what can be fixed, at what cost, and with what method,” Dr Smith, who has a PhD in geotechnical engineering, says.

Registrations of interest for the 2014 Voluntary Bonding Scheme have formally opened today announced Health Minister Tony Ryall.

Conservation Minister Dr Nick Smith today marked this year’s World Wetlands Day with the launch of a new stamp in the Game Bird Habitat Collection Series.

“The Game Bird Habitat Stamp programme is aimed at raising funds to protect and enhance the habitat of our game birds. It’s a simple and inexpensive way to enable New Zealanders to give direct support to a great cause,” Dr Smith says.

Conservation Minister Dr Nick Smith today announced the Nature Heritage Fund has purchased of seven hectares of rare kahikatea forest on the Wairarapa Plains for $340,000.

“The giant trees that can be seen for miles on the Wairarapa Plains are now guaranteed for everyone to enjoy,” Dr Smith says.

“This area of forest known as Allen’s Bush is next to the 42-hectare Lowes Bush Scenic Reserve, which was purchased by the Fund in 2000. The latest purchase will see the nearby kahikatea forest also protected as a scenic reserve.

Housing Minister Dr Nick Smith has announced a new 'Fasttrack' process for the Tenancy Tribunal to cut the time taken to resolve rent disputes.

"This Fasttrack initiative, which will begin 1 February, will hugely reduce the time it takes to resolve the rent arrears disputes that make up 76 per cent of the 43,000 applications received by the Tenancy Tribunal each year," Dr Smith says.

Housing Minister Dr Nick Smith today welcomed the December building consent figures from Statistics New Zealand that show 21,300 new houses were consented in 2013, up 26 per cent from 2012.

“With the number of consents issued at its the highest level in six years, these
promising figures confirm that the Government’s policies to increase housing supply are delivering results,” Dr Smith says.

Conservation Minister Dr Nick Smith tonight launched DOC’s largest-ever species protection programme called ‘Battle for Our Birds’ at his annual speech to the Rotary Club of Nelson.

“Our native birds are in decline and the kiwi will not exist in the wild for our grandchildren unless we do more to protect them. Rats, stoats and possums must be controlled to stop them killing 25 million native birds a year. It is like having a Rena disaster, which killed 2000 birds, every hour,” Dr Smith says.

2014 marks the centenary of World War I, it’s the year of our triennial general elections and it’s the year of the Rio Football World Cup. The topic of this year’s Rotary speech is not about military, political or sporting battles but a little-known battle in our vast forests between pests and our native birds.

Conservation Minister Dr Nick Smith today welcomed a $2.2 million upgrade to the DOC campsite at Momorangi Bay in Queen Charlotte Sound.

“This investment illustrates the Government’s commitment to protecting and enhancing the classic Kiwi camping experience. We are building more campgrounds and enhancing facilities at existing campgrounds like Momorangi to ensure families for generations to come can enjoy the great outdoors,” Dr Smith says.

Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy and Conservation Minister Dr Nick Smith today confirmed the Government’s decision to ban shark finning and have tightened the timetable in response to 45,300 submissions on the National Plan of Action for the Conservation and Management of Sharks.

Significant increases in the abundance and size of marine species in Tasman Bay marine reserves confirm their conservation benefits, Conservation Minister Dr Nick Smith said today while publicly releasing a new research report at the Horoirangi Marine Reserve north of Nelson.

Conservation Minister Dr Nick Smith today announced at Karamea on the West Coast the permanent approval of mountain biking on the Heaphy Track from 1 May to 30 September each year.

“The Heaphy Track is New Zealand’s ultimate multi-day mountain biking experience. It traverses dramatic and diverse landscapes from mountain forests, to expansive grasslands and wild West Coast beaches,” Dr Smith says.

Conservation Minister Dr Nick Smith today welcomed the awarding of the international Green Flag to five DOC sites around New Zealand from the Lake Matheson Walk in South Westland.

“These Green Flags are symbols of tourism excellence. They indicate these five DOC sites are premium destinations and well worth a visit by both New Zealanders and international visitors,” Dr Smith says.

“These latest recipients confirm what many of us already know – that our country is home to some of the best parks and green spaces in the world.”