Having tried to communicate with DOC via there website and not getting any response I wonder if any one has had info that may answer my question .

I also wondered, given its an annual license, why you couldn't buy one that covers you for 365 days from purchase date instead of expiring at 30 June... not hard from a technical perspective. On the other hand if you bought one today you'd get 122 fishing days @ $0.81 per day... of course no one is likely to be able to fish every single day 

Valid question, I bet they roll out the covid excuse

 Bit of a side story here..
Last Feb was looking at buying a rifle from m8. my  firearms license and he remarked  " expired 2 weeks ago" though he was pulling my leg but he wasn't.
 So instead of the about  $149  re new or about $149 to get a new firearms license had to pay about $270  and get referees etc interviewed stuff...
 Followed up 6 months later again 9 months.. " covid restrictions prevent referee and other interviews etc...
 ....OK understand that.
 Police screwed up the chch license so by the book (as was my original license was done by... So every I will be dotted and T crossed now..plus a few other extras now thrown in.
 But still same under budget and under resourced as pre CHCH
 ...Dont have an issue with police that either... do have with the ppl on treasury benches ..

Followed up after 9 months " changes happening may speed things up they still talking about it"
 ...is what it is
close on 12 months and get inspections, interviews etc all good.. FAL "should come thru in couple weeks" just needs commissioner to approve and he recommends that..
 .... Sweet
 oh and turns out the local firearms guy, a retire policeman, is only allowed 12 hrs a week which includes the paper work..
2 weeks go buy ask for update.. no answer
 another 2 weeks.. just the other day.. " firearms office is down because of covid stuff."

Well yes I understand that given the manpower , the budget , the wellington and other protests and covid rules.

But that doesnt make it right.. and what is worse, its not just one thing making these things from the top (government) happen, its lots and that should not exist in this day and age

The rifles wanted (2) , gone  243X55 or 6.5 X 55 not many around for sale now.

Doc not much different.. take the current iwi , Doc , tuhoe,
Ureweras tracks maintenance/ access partnership.. just sucking 10s millions of dollars out of DoC budgets to re build due to lack maintenance of tracks huts , bridges because original agreement not being honoured...
And because of these routs something has go to give...

If you have butter and one day come home with cheap marg.. kids "why buy that we want..."
 your fault or something else?"
 Real question should be "why marg now?"
" Because we dont get paid enough anymore."