Terms of Reference for Establishment Committee for a Big Game Hunting Council
Purpose
One clear message from the Ministerial Panel was the need for greater co-ordination of New Zealand’s many and varied hunting sector groups and interests. A majority of the Panel recommended the establishment of a Big Game Hunting Council to co-ordinate and foster hunting and farming interests in deer, chamois, tahr and wild pigs.
The role of this Establishment Committee is to support New Zealand’s range of hunting interests across the sector to develop one national-level body that represents and advocates all their interests.
The Establishment Committee will advise the government on the creation of the Big Game Hunting Council, as a statutory authority, to carry out, inter alia, the following functions and responsibilities:
• To encourage participation in hunting and farming of deer, chamois, tahr and wild pigs.
• To co-ordinate hunting activities to reduce conflicts.
• To establish agreed national standards for hunting activities.
• To advocate for the interests of its membership to the Minister of Conservation and to the public generally.
• Develop management strategies for big game animals.
• To advise the Minister on matters relating to the management of big game animals in New Zealand.
• Any other matters the Establishment Committee or the Minister may consider necessary.
Membership:
The Establishment Committee will comprise 5 members appointed by the Minister. The members will represent the interests of the following sub-sectors:
• Recreational deer, tahr and chamois hunting
• Pig hunting
• Commercial deer hunting
• Guiding services to recreational hunters
• Deer farming and Safari park operators
Appointments will be made of suitable persons after consultation with leaders within the sub-sectors. The members will choose a chairperson from among their membership.
Members of the Big Game Hunting Council will also be appointed by the Minister.
Work plan
• The Establishment Committee will first develop a plan that details its intended programme of action (in line with these Terms of Reference) and a timeline for its activities, including when it expects to finish. It shall provide this to the Minister of Conservation.
Tasks:
The Establishment Committee’s responsibility for assisting with the establishment of a Big Game Hunting Council will involve it helping the Council to cover initial costs associated with setting itself up and establishing itself with the sectors it seeks to represent. This assistance will be provided for a period of not more than two years.
Context:
In developing the proposal, the committee shall take into account the following matters.
• The Council will be an overarching body, covering the entire big game sector, and able to operate co-operatively with existing sub-sector bodies.
• This Council will be owned by its membership and be self-funding (this funding might come from membership fees, industry levies, and by contracting with landowners and managers to undertake management of and by hunters. There will be no ongoing government funding for its basic activities. This would not, however, preclude the body from seeking government or agency funding for particular functions that were in the national interest, on the same basis as any other organisation.
In establishing the Council, the Establishment Committee will work in partnership with the sector, and operate in a way that builds cooperation between sub-sectors.
Funding
• The Establishment committee will be funded to a maximum of $200,000, spread across 2008/09 and 2009/10 financial years. This money will be provided from Vote:Conservation.
• All expenditure must accord with the provisions of the Public Finance Act, and the committee will report regularly to the Director General of Conservation for its use of funds, in a format agreed to by him.
• Any payments to members of the Establishment committee for attendance at meetings and any payments to consultants must meet SSC guidelines.
• Government funding for the Establishment committee must be used in the financial year for which it has been allocated, except where prior agreement has been obtained.