The Conservation Minister's opting to work with law already formed - on disposal and exchange of conservation land.

After pushback from the opposition and environmentalists, Tama Potaka's scrapped a clause in a proposed law change, which would have allowed sale of protected land.

He says they will instead use existing, but hopefully strengthened legislation. 

"There are arrangements for disposal and exchange, and those were used by previous Governments...we've got to improve those and ensure we've got clear safeguards for any disposal process used infrequently." 

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