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ACT wants hunters and community groups to take a bigger role in managing game animals and doing conservation work on public land. They say DOC should keep its broader conservation role, but local people who know the land should get more authority and funding to do the work. ACT also wants to make it easier to access public land and protect people's right to hunt lawfully.
“Hunters are already managing game animals, controlling predators and helping to keep huts and tracks in use. They should be treated as conservation partners, not a problem to be managed from Wellington.”
“We believe in property rights, practical environmentalism, and an economy where innovation and hard work are rewarded.”
“ACT will put hunters in charge of game-animal management within firm conservation limits.”
Summarised neutrally from ACT’s own official policy (as at 2026-09-15) and checked by an editor. Nothing is paraphrased without the source linked. Read the original ↗ Politika is non-partisan. Compare all parties on Environment →
ACT would move responsibility for managing game animals on conservation land from DOC to the Game Animal Council, so hunters set the targets rather than being consulted on them, and recognise game species as valued natural resources instead of pests. Community groups would get first right of funding for hut and track maintenance, hunting groups could earn biodiversity credits, rules on venison recovery and backcountry landing would loosen, and two new infringement offences would cover interference with lawful hunting.
Parties’ published positions on each topic.
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