Sites of significance to Maori - Gore district

The Gore District Plan proposes to classify the entire Gore District under the Sites and Areas of Significance to Maori part of Section 6 of the RMA - Laurie Paterson of Groundswell explains it

Peter Burke: Gloves off over Gore district plan

Provisions in the Gore District Council's proposed district plan could have a "chilling effect" on everyday farming activities.

That's the view of Southland Federated Farmers president, Jason Herrick, who says a section in the plan designates the whole district as a 'Site and Area of Significance (SAMS) to Māori’, rather than just identifying specific sites as is the case with the present plan.

Herrick says the implication of such a blanket approach will mean that no farming activity, however mundane, can take place without a cultural report being prepared. He says this is a highly unusual approach to handling iwi interests.