Expanded working party for starlight bid

New Zealand's bid to make Tekapo the world's first night sky reserve is moving ahead with the formation of an expanded working party.

Former Labour cabinet minister Margaret Austin said the working party would elect a chair and set its tasks at the first meeting in July.

The New Zealand bid - one of eight worldwide night Unesco heritage site bids - made strong progress following a Unesco meeting in the Canaries, Spain, last month.

Ms Austin said the working party was set up to ensure the concept of a world starlight reserve had support from the local community through to central government.

It will consult with all necessary parties, and will be ready to proceed when Unesco has finalised its thematic study and made decisions on the way forward.

Working party member Graeme Murray said earlier this year that many places overseas had lost touch with stars but the Mackenzie Country still had a pristine dark sky.

The reserve, which would be a world first, would ensure New Zealand was kept on the astronomy and astro-tourism map.

"We want to better protect one of the Mackenzie's most valuable assets, its dark, starry sky," Mr Murray said.

"It has never been done anywhere in the world so we hope we'll be successful."

The working party would seek government support for the bid.

A final decision by Unesco would be announced in Rio De Janeiro next year.

The expanded working party comprises Leon O'Sullivan, representing the Mackenzie council and Tekapo community, Denis Callesen, representing the Mount Cook community, Margaret Austin, Richard McNamara, from the Department of Conservation, a representative from Canterbury University and Mt John Observatory representative, and Graeme Murray, the driving force and founding member of the bid.

- NZPA