Conservation Amendment Bill – unpicking the new economic opportunity function.

The Conservation Amendment Bill introduced on 7 May 2026 contains a significant change to the purpose architecture of the Conservation Act 1987 – it proposes a new function for the Department of Conservation to “recognise the economic opportunities that arise from the use and development” of the land and resources it manages, and to “enable this use and development to the greatest extent practicable under this Act and other enactments”.