The Origins Foundation Podcast

Episode 599 – Corina Jordan || Protecting Game In New Zealand
Date: October 14, 2025
Host: The Origins Foundation (Robbie)
Guest: Corina Jordan, CEO of the Game Animal Council (New Zealand)

Episode Overview

This episode features Corina Jordan, the newly appointed CEO of New Zealand’s Game Animal Council (GAC), for an in-depth discussion on the evolving landscape of game animal management and conservation in New Zealand. The conversation navigates the unique legislative, cultural, and ecological challenges of maintaining introduced large game species (such as deer, tahr, and wapiti) in a country that prizes its native habitat but finds increasing value—social, economic, and ecological—in managing rather than eradicating these species.

The episode dives deeply into the controversies around invasive species, current legislative battles, the newly emerging “herds of special interest” (HSI/HOSIE) tool, and the broader social license needed for hunting to be accepted as conservation.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. What Is the Game Animal Council?

• [05:39–12:59]
  • GAC is a statutory authority established in 2013 to represent hunters by providing direct advice to the Minister for Hunting & Fishing.
  • Unlike the Department of Conservation (DOC), GAC focuses on large game: “Shami and tahr and wild pigs and red deer” (E, 06:21).
  • GAC is unique worldwide and occupies a hybrid role—partially funded by the government but intended to remain semi-autonomous, giving hunters a direct governmental voice.

“We are a public entity. The minister appoints our council… from our hunting community across New Zealand… it forms that direct connection between the Game Animal Council and our hunters on the ground.”
— Corina Jordan, [11:05]

2. The Complexity of Non-Native Game & Conservation Philosophy

• [12:59–17:10]
  • All large game in New Zealand are non-native, often viewed as “feral, non-native, invasive” yet are of significant value.
  • Conflict between two philosophies:
    • Eradicationists: Want to return native habitats to a pristine state.
    • Managers: See benefit in healthy populations managed for ecological balance and recreational value.

“I don't believe there's anywhere else in the world where the phrase ‘hunting is conservation’ is more relevant than New Zealand.”
— Robbie, [13:33]

“If you take care of the environment and you have a healthy environment, then that provides the foundation to have healthy animals … valued introduced species over here.”
— Corina Jordan, [15:02]

3. Current Battles: Legal Challenges & Legislative Change

• [17:10–34:32]
  • Conservation laws (National Parks Act) demand, in theory, eradication of all non-natives from national parks.
  • Forest & Bird (an environmental NGO) sued the Wapiti Foundation and DOC for not complying with eradication laws despite outstanding hunter-led restoration gains.
  • This led to the push for the “Herds of Special Interest” (HSI/Hosie) legal tool, exempting certain herds from eradication mandates if they are actively managed to benefit conservation and hunter interests.

“What was really, what was resonating with me through the select committee is everyone was saying... ‘We want these animals gone but keep the status quo framework.’... [But] we have more animals in some parts of the country than we've ever had before… We don't have a game animal problem, we have a game animal management problem.”
— Corina Jordan, [30:10]

4. Herds of Special Interest (HSI/HOSIE) Tool

• [17:34–43:02]
  • Allows certain game herds (e.g., Fiordland Wapiti, Sika in the Kaimanawas) to be managed for their ‘value’ rather than eradicated.
  • Currently before a select committee in Parliament to clarify language: these herds “are not subject to extermination” per older laws.
  • Aims to shield hunter-conservation foundations from costly litigation and instability.

“We've got herds in New Zealand which have value and we should manage them for their values as hunting value while also achieving conservation outcomes... It says, achieve both, but make sure you achieve those conservation outcomes.”
— Corina Jordan, [27:44]

5. Societal Role, Social License & Community Engagement

• [16:40–22:54]
  • Importance of hunters as conservationists and providers—not just for recreation, but for food sovereignty in remote communities.
  • Need to reclaim “rewilding” rhetoric and demonstrate hunter-led conservation.

“They undertake activities which are offset by hunter dollar to reduce the taxpayer cost for conservation in New Zealand and managing these herds.”
— Corina Jordan, [21:48]

6. Foundations and Their Role

• [19:03–38:28]
  • Multiple foundations (Sika, Wapiti, Red Deer Heritage, Rakiura Whitetail) are leading ground-level conservation and management.
  • These foundations are largely volunteer- and hunter-funded, highlighting the importance of ongoing hunter involvement and partnership with government agencies.

7. Future Challenges & Opportunities

• [32:06–43:17]
  • The select committee will report to Parliament at the end of October, with new legal frameworks potentially in place early next year.
  • Long-term, a complete “hammer” overhaul of the Conservation Law Framework is needed.
  • Exciting period for hunter-led conservation, but the test will be securing funding, community buy-in, and permanent legal recognition.

“It is super exciting. We've got, you know, our people on the ground are amazing… We’re sort of a little bit flying it while we’re building it..."
— Corina Jordan, [42:47]

8. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Legal Reality vs. Practicality:
  “Legally they're right. But practically, they're very wrong.”
  — Robbie, [25:46]

• On the Importance of Social License:
  “We're changing our conversation in New Zealand so that hunters are conservationists. They're conservationists first. They're managing a population to preserve the environment…”
  — Corina Jordan, [15:54]

• On the Role of the GAC & Collaboration:
  “We're really community minded and our focus is on engaging with communities and ground up solutions, as we call them…”
  — Corina Jordan, [36:42]

• On “Rewilding”:
  “We thought we might take the term and it just resonates much more with hunters, right. We're out there, we're sort of wild in our souls and our spirits and we want to go hang out wild places and you know, this adventure and hunt these beautiful animals and be self sustaining.”
  — Corina Jordan, [45:53]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Introduction & GAC Overview: [05:39–12:59]
• Parallel between Eradication and Management Philosophies: [13:33–17:10]
• Legal Battles & the Wapiti Foundation court case: [22:54–29:01]
• Explanation of Herds of Special Interest (HSI/HOSIE): [27:44–29:01]
• Select Committee Process & What Happens Next: [32:06–34:01]
• Hunter Funding & Implementation Challenges: [34:01–36:32]
• Community Engagement & Slowing Down to Involve Maori Stakeholders: [36:32–37:53]
• Broader Legal and Social Change: [41:22–43:17]
• The Rewilding Campaign: [45:53–48:17]
• Where to Learn More / Outro: [48:31–49:17]

Additional Resources

• Game Animal Council Website: www.gameanimalcouncil.org.nz
• Information on HOSIE, hunter education, and legal updates available online
• Rewilding Campaign Video and Resources available through GAC channels

Final Thoughts

This episode provides a comprehensive, on-the-ground view of the high-stakes, often polarized discussions around hunting, conservation, and legislative change in New Zealand. It shows hunters are at the forefront of practical conservation—funding, managing, and advocating for biodiversity and healthy game resources in a world where legal frameworks are still catching up with ecological and societal realities.

For further engagement or questions about hunting in New Zealand, listeners are encouraged to reach out to the Game Animal Council, whose contact information and educational resources are available on their website.