David Williams

And their contention was this isn't a cost-saving measure.

This is actually being more efficient.

We don't need people on the island all the time.

It's a long way to go and it's an expensive place to live.

We'll just fly people in temporarily and that'll get the job done.

So that's what they would say.

Well I don't think people are very happy.

The Chatham Islands Mayor Greg Waller told me in February that he was concerned about the level of conservation work being done and it appears that DOC is listening a bit so they have decided this year to change their structure again and what they're doing is they're making three of their staff project leads so they're giving them leadership roles.

Now

Some would argue that if their structure was so good and working well, they wouldn't have to make changes.

So there's that.

But you listen to Brent Mallinson, he's talking about the fencing, he's talking about particular species.

He doesn't think that DOC and what it does, the conservation work that it's charged with doing by the people of New Zealand and under legislation, he doesn't think that it's doing the job it needs to.

So it'll be interesting to see what changes, if any, DOC makes in response to that criticism.

Well, that's the danger, isn't it?

It's so far away, and if there aren't eyeballs on that, but that's why you have a conservation board.

A conservation board gets briefed by DOC on the work programme that it has, and it asks questions, and it holds it accountable.

That's its job.

So there are eyeballs in that sense.

But yes, it is far away.