UnitedFuture leader Peter Dunne is adamant that the days of heli-hunting on public conservation land are almost numbered.

“Heli-hunting should never have even been considered under Wild Animal Recovery Operation (WARO) permits,” said Mr Dunne. “However due to the archaic nature of the law regarding large game animals a small number of operators continue to get away with this inhumane and unethical practice.”

“However, it is my belief that the days of heli-hunting taking place on public conservation land are numbered.”

Heli-hunting entails either shooting a tahr or chamois directly from a helicopter or placing a hunter on the ground and herding the animal or animals towards the hunter with the helicopter.

“It is not sport, and it is definitely not hunting. What makes it worse is that this is taking place on public conservation land.”

“For recreational hunters, trampers and climbers heli-hunting on public conservation land is not only abhorrent and potentially dangerous, but does not fit the intention by which our national parks and public lands were created.”

“The soon-to-be-announced recommendations for the Game Animal Council will, I hope, give the Minister of Conservation the ability to prohibit heli-hunting on public conservation land for good.”

“The Game Animal Council will alleviate DoC of the responsibility for the day-to-day management of deer, chamois, tahr and wild pigs, including the administration of WARO permits, freeing up the department’s resources to be better used for something else.”

“UnitedFuture has worked extremely hard under the Confidence and Supply Agreement with National, and previously with Labour, to make the Game Animal Council a reality, we are now very close to achieving that goal.” said Mr Dunne.