12 May 2017

Government insists tourism funding boost will help environment

From Morning Report, 7:38 am on 12 May 2017

The Conservation Minister Maggie Barry says the new funding is welcomed. "That will attract more visitors, we will be able to earn more money from that and we will be able to invest more money in biodiversity." But environmentalists say the Government's $76 million commitment to improve tourism infrastructure for the conservation estate won't make up for the cuts to the Department of Conservation's budget and the funding reflects an exploitative approach to the conservation estate.