Access Policies

NZDA Policy on Access

NZDA’s current position on access

1. NZDA advocates for access to public land for all legitimate hunters – including maintaining and enhancing existing access and seeking new access where it is absent in law.
2. All hunters on the public estate must hold a current DOC Permit.
3. NZDA utterly opposes illegal fees being charged to transit legal roads and unformed legal roads.
4. NZDA recognises the rights of private landowners to charge for the use of their land or passage across private land on private roads, However, in the public interest, NZDA will endeavour to negotiate fee free access arrangements where appropriate.
5. NZDA recognises and supports the rights of private landowners to enjoy and profit from their land and require members and all hunters to respect and care for private land when granted permission to be on it.
6. Negotiations with private landowners should be undertaken in good faith, with integrity and using National documents that support access as required.
7. When attending meetings or negotiations on behalf of NZDA, the principles in the National Constitution and Branch rules will over-ride any personal interest of such attendees, and clarification of positions should be sought from the relevant Branch Committee, the National Access Committee or National Office if needed.
8. When uncertain of principles at stake, facts and/or position in public meetings, attendees representing NZDA should defer stating their position until clarified.
9. NZDA recognises the expertise and facts available from The Outdoor Access Commission (Te Herenga a Nuku) and consider them the best source of evidence and facts in access matters.
10. Any information provided to, or published through, public media must be accurate, respectful, and based on verifiable facts. No person may represent themselves as speaking on behalf of the Association, or imply that they are speaking on behalf of the Association, without the prior approval of the National Office or the NZDA Board. Any engagement with national media on behalf of the Association must be approved in advance.

This Policy was introduced at the 2026 Conference.