The conservation estate could end up subject to political whims under a proposal to grant the Conservation Minister sole authority over the land, Federated Mountain Clubs say.

The FMC told Nine to Noon a proposed National Conservation Policy Statement would strip away democratic process and prioritise commercial interests, while stripping decision making from the public and the current statutory body - the New Zealand Conservation Authority.

At present, delivery of different strategies and management plans were approved by the National Conservation Authority or local Conservation Boards, which were often made up of government and iwi representatives, and members of the public.

FMC board member Allan Brent said for a long time these bodies had provided a public voice with extensive local knowledge.

"These proposals stand to throw all of that away and go back to a situation where public conservation land - our land - is treated like Crown land that governments of the day can do as they will with," Brent said.

The FMC said the proposed reforms undermine Aotearoa's public whenua by "stripping away democratic process and prioritising commercial interests".

"Governments can, legitimately, propose fundamental changes to how we care for our conservation land - but only after real dialogue with New Zealanders. That has not happened here," Brent said.

One of the government's stated objectives of the proposal was to provide certainty for those who operated on Conservation land, he said.

The FMC supported that objective, but did not think the government's proposal was the way to achieve it, Brent said.

"They are going to be under all sort of pressures of the moment, so it is a real compromise on that fundamental commitment to preservation and conservation in perpetuity."

The proposal is out for targeted consultation at present and will go to Cabinet and then through the Select Committee process next year.

The Department of Conservation confirmed the new proposed National Conservation Policy Statement combined the current Conservation General Policy - which was approved by the Minister - with the National Parks General Policy.

It also said area plans would replace current regional plans and they too would require ministerial approval rather than by the New Zealand Conservation Authority.

The Conservation Minister, Tama Potaka, had also been approached for a response.

In a press release last month, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said many New Zealanders already run businesses on the conservation estate, such as guided walks, ski fields, filming documentaries, grazing sheep and cattle, or hosting concerts and building cell phone towers.

"But to do any of that, you need a concession - and the concessions regime is totally broken, often taking years to obtain or renew and leaving businesses in a cycle of bureaucratic limbo," Luxon said.

"Outdated rules mean we've got examples of modern E-bike users being turned away from potential touring opportunities because they have to be considered as proper vehicles. And tourism on the Routeburn is being held up because the trail crosses artificial boundaries, with different rules and different limits."

He said his government will "fix the Conservation Act" to unleash a fresh wave of concessions in locations where that makes sense.

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