Latest news with #MilfordSound
RNZ News
6 days ago
- Politics
- RNZ News
Oral Questions for Thursday 5 June 2025
Questions to Ministers TIM COSTLEY to the Minister of Transport: What announcements has he made about increasing the speed limit on State Highway 1? Hon BARBARA EDMONDS to the Minister of Finance: Does she stand by all her statements and actions? RIMA NAKHLE to the Minister for Tourism and Hospitality: What recent reports has she seen on tourism growth and international visitor spending? CAMERON LUXTON to the Associate Minister for the Environment: What recent announcements has he made about reforming freshwater rules? Hon JAN TINETTI to the Minister for Women: Does she stand by all her statements and actions regarding pay equity? Hon JULIE ANNE GENTER to the Minister of Transport: Are local road controlling authorities required to increase speed limits under the Government's policy if one of the reasons for a speed limit reduction since 2020 was proximity to a school, and are impacts on road safety a factor that allows local road controlling authorities to retain safe speeds on streets? JOSEPH MOONEY to the Minister of Conservation: What recent announcements has he made about Milford Sound? Hon PRIYANCA RADHAKRISHNAN to the Minister of Conservation: Has he received any advice on the impact of Conservation funding cuts on jobs and communities; if so, how many jobs have been identified as at risk? SUZE REDMAYNE to the Minister for Hunting and Fishing: What recent announcements has he made in the Hunting and Fishing portfolio? STEVE ABEL to the Minister of Agriculture: Does he agree with the Prime Minister that New Zealand farmers are the "No. 1 most carbon-efficient in the world"; if so, on what factual basis? SHANAN HALBERT to the Minister for Vocational Education: Has the Treasury advised the Government that "Demand for tertiary education and training is currently forecast to exceed the volume able to be funded"; if so, what advice has she received about the potential for job losses at New Zealand's Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics, and universities? TAKUTA FERRIS to the Minister for Vocational Education: Does she stand by all her statements and actions? To embed this content on your own webpage, cut and paste the following: See terms of use.
RNZ News
6 days ago
- Business
- RNZ News
Milford Sound plans: 'We've got to get on with it'
The government has announced $15 million will go towards infrastructure upgrades and conservation projects at Milford Sound. File photo. Photo: 123RF Tourism operators are welcoming more clarity on the government's plans for Milford Sound, but say it is now time for action. A 2021 masterplan for the popular tourist destination recommended banning cruise ships, closing the airstrip, a park and ride system and charging overseas visitors a fee. The government announced on Wednesday that about $15 million would go towards infrastructure upgrades and conservation projects, while confirming cruise ships and the airstrip will not be going anywhere , and it was sticking with unrestricted road access. Glenorchy Air managing director James Stokes said the update gave the local aviation industry much needed certainty. "The overall emotion is one of relief that we are going to definitely have an airfield in the future. We were confident that that's the way it was going, but good to hear it finally confirmed," he said. The funding was a good start as Milford Sound had some immediate infrastructure needs it could help to address, Stokes said. The tourism and hospitality and conservation ministers held a call for stakeholders on the day to outline the plans, including wanting to address long-standing concession issues for tourism operators. "I'm keen to see what this reform is going to look like and keen to see how they're going to make it easier for businesses to operate in national parks responsibly," Stokes said. "Just want to get on with it and see the work actually happen. We can't afford another year of nothing happening. We've got to get on with it." Trips and Tramps co-owner Steve Norris said the announcement had been a long time coming and was moving in the right direction. But it left him with questions. A key one was how the traffic and parking would be better managed now the government sought to attract more visitors to the area. "The summer just gone, the carpark's full most days and they're not putting any controls on the road right now... which is fine," Norris said. But in the long term, numbers were expected to increase and there needed to be a solution, he said. Visitor numbers hit 870,000 in 2019, up from 430,000 in 2013. Conservation Minister Tama Potaka said they now surpassed one million a year as Milford Sound was a magnet for tourists. Potaka was also keen to address long standing concession issues for tourism operators as part of conservation reform. It was an area Steve Norris also wanted to see addressed. But he was pleased to hear they were replacing the boat ramp in Deepwater Basin for recreational boaties and local operators. "Great news because that's probably 20 years past its use-by-date - the ramp that's in use at the moment - so that's very encouraging," he said. Work on two of the projects that received funding - cleaning up Little Tahiti landfill and flood protections - had either wrapped up or was underway, so he hoped the money would go towards new projects. The funding was coming from the international visitor levy and the Department of Conservation's capital works programme. Initial policy documents released by DOC suggested that one-off investment costs of between $450-500 million were needed to cover new infrastructure, transport services, visitor facilities, experiences, walking, tracks, carparks, and roadside developments. Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston said she wanted to attract more visitors to Piopiotahi while still protecting it. "We do know it is a real focus point for visitors coming to New Zealand so we don't want to restrict access to it and actually if you then mean the only route in is by road, that creates other difficulties," she said. When the masterplan was launched, the reasoning for removing the airstrip was because it was in a poor state, exposed to flooding and tsunami risks, expensive to rebuild and only carried about three percent of visitors. Upston acknowledged they needed to look at work to upgrade the airstrip, which could involve more helicopter use in the future. Tourism Industry Aotearoa chief executive Rebecca Ingram said the update addressed long standing uncertainty and gave direction to those wanting to invest in the region "There are a lot of things that the industry can agree on when it comes to Milford and improving the experience and safety are two of them," she said. "We have been strong advocates for a well-managed experience that is great for visitors, community, business and for the environment. "We look forward to working with the Department of Conservation as the proposal goes from plan into action." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
7 days ago
- Business
- RNZ News
Midday Report Essentials for Wednesday 4 June 2025
economy infrastructure about 1 hour ago In today's episode, a new poll shows more New Zealanders oppose rather than favour the government's pay equity shakeup, demolition crews are racing against the tide to remove the burnt-out wreck of an historic ship on the Paihia waterfront in Northland, the government is investing over $15 million to upgrade infrastructure and enhance conservation in Milford Sound, and a strong wintry weather blast is starting to be felt in parts of the country with flights in and out of Christchurch and Nelson being cancelled.
RNZ News
7 days ago
- Business
- RNZ News
Govt to invest over $15 million to upgrade infrastructure in Milford Sound
transport infrastructure 30 minutes ago The government is investing over $15 million to upgrade infrastructure and enhance conservation in Milford Sound - also confirming flights and cruise ships will continue to operate. Tourism reporter Tess Brunton spoke to Charlotte Cook.
RNZ News
7 days ago
- Business
- RNZ News
Government rejects plan to bar cruise ships from Milford Sound
Photo: Unsplash/ Michelle McEwen The government has rejected a vision to ban cruise ships from Milford Sound and close its airstrip while announcing $15.2 million for infrastructure upgrades and conservation projects. In 2021, a master plan for the destination was unveiled, making a raft of recommendations including not allowing cruise ships in the inner sound and closing the airstrip, before undergoing feasibility testing. The reasoning given at the time was the airstrip was in a poor state, exposed to flooding and tsunami risks, expensive to rebuild to a modern standard and only carried about three percent of visitors while the visual impact and risk of cruise ships conflicted with the majority of land-based visitors. Last year, the Milford Opportunities Project reported to ministers on the feasibility of the masterplan, which also included recommendations to create a park and ride system to reduce congestion, and charge overseas visitors a fee. Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston said Piopiotahi played a key role in helping the country's tourism sector to bounce back. "We are supporting the local economy and providing certainty for operators by enabling cruise ships and aircraft to continue to access the fjord, rejecting a previous proposal to ban this," she said. While documents released by the Department of Conservation suggested local sentiments towards banning cruise were positive, the airstrip removal prompted a backlash from tourism operators who said it could discourage visitors and impact livelihoods. Conservation Minister Tama Potaka Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone Conservation Minister Tama Potaka has announced the government would invest $15.2 million in the region as part of the first tranche of decisions from the Milford Opportunities Project with aims to sustainably grow tourism while protecting the taonga. "This iconic UNESCO World Heritage site in Fiordland attracts more than a million visitors a year and pumps about $200 million into the regional economy, creating jobs and boosting incomes," he said. The funding would go towards new and enhanced short stops, including an alpine nature walk in Gertrude Valley, improving flood protection at Cleddau River, cleaning up Little Tahiti landfill - which [ received government funding last year], and much-needed new facilities at Deepwater Basin. The funding would come from the International Visitor Levy and about $7m from the Department of Conservation's capital works programme. "For Ngāi Tahu, Piopiotahi holds special significance as the final masterpiece of atua and land-shaper Tū Te Rakiwhānoa," he said. The next steps were for the Department of Conservation to engage with other stakeholders including Ngāi Tahu on further initiatives. "These include collaborating on investment opportunities along Milford corridor, developing a multi-year investment plan for the area, and considering improved planning tools, such as a Special Amenities Area within Fiordland National Park," Potaka said.
