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Story: West Coast region

A view from outside

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A view from outside

Because much of the land on the West Coast is owned by the government (and is now mainly conservation land), there are continuing arguments about access to land for activities such as mining and forestry. To some outsiders, West Coasters always seem to be complaining. Bob Brockie drew this cartoon in 2000, after the government announced a large regional development package to compensate for the end of native-tree logging. The money was accepted, but West Coasters also wanted the ability to run the region the way they chose.

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Alexander Turnbull Library

Reference: H-638-010

by Bob Brockie

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page

Simon Nathan, West Coast region – Overview, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/cartoon/21053/a-view-from-outside (accessed 11 June 2026).

Story by Simon Nathan, published 3 March 2009, updated 1 September 2016.