Vote Conservation - Supplementary Estimates of Appropriations 2015/16 - Budget 2016

Vote Conservation

Vote Conservation

Details of Appropriations and Capital Injections

Annual and Permanent Appropriations

Capital Injection Authorisations

Supporting Information

Part 1 - Vote as a Whole

1.2 - Trends in the Vote

Summary of Financial Activity

Part 2 - Details of Departmental Appropriations

2.1 - Departmental Output Expenses

Conservation with the Community (M16)

Scope of Appropriation

This appropriation is limited to public awareness and educational services, and growing conservation through building partnerships with others, including iwi, councils, community groups, businesses, and individuals.

Expenses and Revenue

Reasons for Change in Appropriation

This appropriation increased by $107,000 to $32.003 million for 2015/16 due to:

fiscally neutral adjustment of $3 million to Natural Heritage expenses in 2015/16 only to realign 2015/16 budgets with work plans (decrease)

additional funding for Treaty settlement implementation costs of $1.505 million (increase)

expense transfers from 2014/15 to 2015/16 of $1.400 millionas a result of consultation delays on treaty settlements(increase), and

additional third party revenue of $202,000 (increase).

Management of Historic Heritage (M16)

Scope of Appropriation

This appropriation is limited to the protection and conservation management of historic heritage.

Expenses and Revenue

Reasons for Change in Appropriation

This appropriation decreased by $468,000 to $7.089 million for 2015/16 due to:

afiscally neutral adjustment of $500,000 to Natural Heritage expenses in 2015/16 only to realign 2015/16 budgets with work plans (decrease)

additional third party revenue of $62,000 (increase), and

an expense transfer of $30,000 as a result of delayed starts to restoration work by specialist contractors (decrease).

Management of Natural Heritage (M16)

Scope of Appropriation

This appropriation is limited to maintaining, restoring and protecting ecosystems, habitats and species.

Expenses and Revenue

Reasons for Change in Appropriation

This appropriation increased by $28.800 million to $187.877 million for 2015/16 due to:

additional funding of $20.690 million for the Battle for Our Birds 2016 targeted pest control programme (increase)

additional third party revenue of $4.206 million (increase)

fiscally neutral adjustments of $3.500 million from other Departmental output expenses in 2015/16 only to realign 2015/16 budgets with work plans (increase)

net expense transfers of $1.036 million 2014/15 to 2015/16 as a result of delays in passing Treaty of Waitangi settlement legislation (decrease)

additional funding of $974,000 for the Conservation Services Programme (increase)

donations and bequests received for conservation work $190,000 (increase)

capital charge adjustment of $169,000 for asset revaluations in 2014/15 (increase)

royalties from West Coast windfall timber used to fund biodiversity programmes of $137,000 (increase), and

contribution to Vote Transport of $30,000 as a result of a maritime incident response (decrease).

Management of Recreational Opportunities (M16)

Scope of Appropriation

This appropriation is limited to recreational facilities and services, and the management of business concessions.

Expenses and Revenue

Reasons for Change in Appropriation

This appropriationincreased by $6.639 million to $148.346 millionfor 2015/16 due to:

net expense transfers of $2.279 million as a result of delays in consultations with Treaty partners (increase)

additional Crown concessions revenue of $2.162 million (increase)

additional third party revenue of $1.803 million (increase)

reduced funding of $575,000 for the share of costs for Budget 2015 whole-of-government initiatives (decrease)

additional funding for the Pike River Memorial Track and visitor assets of $519,000 (increase)

transfer of capital to operating for the Te Araroa trail and other visitor assets of $300,000 (increase), and

capital charge adjustment of $151,000 relating to asset revaluations in 2014/15 (increase).

2.3 - Departmental Capital Expenditure and Capital Injections

Department of Conservation - Capital Expenditure PLA (M16)

Scope of Appropriation

This appropriation is limited to the purchase or development of assets by and for the use of the Department of Conservation, as authorised by section 24(1) of the Public Finance Act 1989.

Capital Expenditure

Reasons for Change in Appropriation

This appropriation decreased by $17.565 million to $35.001 millionfor 2015/16 due to:

reduced capital programme of $17.265 million to ensure on-going affordability of the total asset base (decrease), and

capital to operating transfer of $300,000 for the Te Araroa trail and other visitor assets (decrease).

Capital Injections and Movements in Departmental Net Assets

Department of Conservation

Part 3 - Details of Non-Departmental Appropriations

3.1 - Non-Departmental Output Expenses

Community Conservation Partnerships Fund (M16)

Scope of Appropriation

This appropriation is limited to grants: for community groups and private landowners to undertake work on public and private land; to provide private land managers with information and advice, or assistance with pest and weed control, fencing and other biodiversity management actions; and to support community biodiversity restoration initiatives.

Reasons for Change in Appropriation

This appropriation increased by $781,000 to $7.990 millionfor 2015/16 due to expense transfers from 2014/15 to 2015/16as a result of alignment of funding with the timing of grants.

Management Services - Natural and Historic Places (M16)

Scope of Appropriation

This appropriation is limited to management services for properties with historical or natural significance, including maintenance work, access for the public and management advice on covenanted properties.

Reasons for Change in Appropriation

Thisappropriation increased by $115,000 to $1.977 million for 2015/16due to an expense transfer from 2014/15 to 2015/16 as a result of project delays in the maintenance programmes of historical properties.

Stewart Island Infrastructure (M16)

Scope of Appropriation

This appropriation is limited to assistance to the Southland District Council for additional community infrastructure arising from increased visitor numbers on Stewart Island.

Reasons for Change in Appropriation

This appropriation decreased by$365,000 to $50,000 for 2015/16 due to an expense transfer from 2015/16 to 2016/17as a result of delays in confirmation of community funding.

3.4 - Non-Departmental Other Expenses

Impairment of Public Conservation Land (M74)

Scope of Appropriation

This appropriation is limited to the impairment in value of Public Conservation land to be transferred to iwi as part of Treaty of Waitangi Settlements.

Reasons for Change in Appropriation

This appropriation increased by $5.405 million to $5.455 million due to:

expense transfers of $3.133 millionfrom 2014/15 to 2015/16 as a result of the write-down of land subject to an iwi settlement (increase), and

additional funding for Treaty settlements of $2.272 million (increase).

Mātauranga Māori Fund (M16)

Scope of Appropriation

This appropriation is limited to making grants to support initiatives to protect traditional Māori knowledge relating to NZ's indigenous biodiversity.

Reasons for Change in Appropriation

This appropriation decreased by $22,000 to $702,000for 2015/16due to net expense transfersfor commitments being entered into that cover more than one financial year.

3.5 - Non-Departmental Capital Expenditure

Crown Land Acquisitions (M16)

Scope of Appropriation

This appropriation is limited to the purchase of property for the Conservation Estate.

Reasons for Change in Appropriation

This appropriation increased by$600,000 to $2.600 millionfor 2015/16 due to West Coast land exchanges for enhanced conservation efforts.

Purchase and Development of Reserves (M16)

Scope of Appropriation

This appropriation is limited to the purchase of conservation land, including the purchase of reserves, and any associated administration costs as provided for under the Reserves Act 1977.

Reasons for Change in Appropriation

This appropriation increased by $2.276 million to $4.076 millionfor 2015/16 due to the remaining Reserve Trust balance brought forward from 2014/15 to 2015/16.

Part 4 - Details of Multi-Category Expenses and Capital Expenditure

Multi-Category Expenses and Capital Expenditure

Identification and Implementation of Protection for Natural and Historic Places (M16)

Overarching Purpose Statement

The overarching purpose of this appropriation is to support the protection for natural and historic places.

Scope of Appropriation

Non-Departmental Output Expenses

Legal Protection Queen Elizabeth II
This category is limited to identification and implementation of protection of biodiversity on private land.

Nature Heritage Fund
This category is limited to the identification and implementation of protection of indigenous ecosystems on private land.

Ngā Whenua Rāhui
This category is limited to the identification and implementation of protection of indigenous ecosystems on Māori land.

South Island Landless Natives Act
This category is limited to the identification and implementation of protection of indigenous ecosystems in Māori ownership on South Island Landless Natives Act (SILNA) land.

Expenses, Revenue and Capital Expenditure

Reasons for Change in Appropriation

This appropriation has decreased by $7.102 million to $19.266 millionfor 2015/16 due to:

net expense transfers of $7.302 million as a result of commitments by the Funds that will not be expended until 2016/17 and the complexities of multiple ownership for the land areas involved (decrease), and

additional funding of $200,000 for the Queen's Commonwealth Canopy (increase).

Policy Advice, Statutory Planning, and Services to Ministers and Statutory Bodies (M16)

Overarching Purpose Statement

The overarching purpose of this appropriation is to provide policy advice and other services to Ministers and other parties.

Scope of Appropriation

Departmental Output Expenses

Policy Advice
This category is limited to the provision of advice (including second opinion advice and contributions to policy advice led by other agencies) to support decision-making by Ministers on government policy matters relating to conservation.

Statutory Planning, Services to Ministers and Statutory Bodies
This category is limited to statutory planning and the provision of services to Ministers (other than policy decision making responsibilities) and statutory bodies to enable them to discharge their portfolio and responsibilities.

Expenses, Revenue and Capital Expenditure

Reasons for Change in Appropriation

This appropriation has increased by $266,000 to $12.287 million for 2015/16 due to:

additional Statutory Planning revenue of $500,000 (increase)

expense transfers of $334,000 from 2015/16 to 2016/17 as a result of delays in public iwi consultation and engaging longer term with related sectors (decrease), and

additional Policy Advice funding for the Pike River Memorial Track and visitor assets of $100,000 (increase).

THE SUPPLEMENTARY ESTIMATES OF APPROPRIATIONS AND SUPPORTING INFORMATION 2015/16 B.7  1