Radich - 'Go for the jugular'

Hone Harawira led the chant as last week's hīkoi made its way through Kaitaia. Photo / Peter Jackson

The Far North District Council has formally paused the introduction of proposed Significant Natural Area zonings, but one councillor wants to go further.

Mate Radich, who took part in last week's protest hīkoi, said the council should be "throwing out" SNAs altogether.

"They're an embarrassment to the council and the government. FNDC should go for the jugular and scrap the whole idea," he said, adding that land owners shouldn't bother making submissions. His advice to them was to "screw up those letters (from the council) and throw them away."

The new zoning is part of a government drive for biodiversity protection on private land across the country, via the new National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity, originally scheduled for finalisation in October but now expected later in the year, which required the Northland Regional Council to create regional rules for SNA introduction, with which the FNDC had to comply.

Meanwhile Cr David Clendon said engaging at mana whenua level meant working with 240 marae across the numerous hapū of the district's 11 mandated iwi authorities.

"The practicalities of that are mindblowing," he said.

"I do think central government needs to have a rethink about the practical realities of bringing in SNAs."