Today was the deadline for Land Information New Zealand (Linz) to appeal the Otago Land Valuation Tribunal ruling, which found LINZ was wrong to include amenity values when calculating rent to be paid by Minaret Station, on the shores of Lake Wanaka.
A Linz spokesman this week said a decision on an appeal would be announced today, but conservationists have urged Linz to appeal, saying it was in the greater public interest to do so.
But any decision to appeal could be overtaken by Government plans to change its high country policy.
Ministers of Agriculture and Land Information have recently made comments or delivered speeches advising the Government was reviewing its policy.
It intended to base rents on the earning capacity of properties and its policy would recognise farmers had a role as stewards of the land and greater use could be made of conservation covenants rather than adding land to the conservation estate.
Forest and Bird advocacy manager Kevin Hackwell said the tribunal ruling reduced the extent of public ownership of the high country and the Government would miss out on "millions of dollars" in rent by not charging for amenities such as landscape and views.
Wanaka property valuer John Barlow said in a statement that the ruling transferred non-pastoral assets from Crown ownership, to the lessee.
Mr Barlow said there was an issue with the affordability of pastoral lease rents as property prices had increased, but the answer was to address the rent-setting mechanism by changing the law.
He said the ruling had the potential to upset the balance of property rights in the high country away from the Crown.
Former lands minister David Parker and Fish and Game New Zealand have also urged Linz to appeal.
