Ministry for the Environment (New Zealand)
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| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 1986 |
| Jurisdiction | New Zealand |
| Headquarters |
Environment House, 23 Kate Sheppard Place, Thorndon WELLINGTON 6011 |
| Annual budget |
Vote Environment Total budget for 2014/15 $313,785,000[1] |
| Ministers responsible |
Hon Dr Nick Smith - Minister for the Environment Hon Tim Groser - Minister for Climate Change Issues Hon Simon Bridges - Associate Minister for Climate Change Issues |
| Agency executive |
Dr Paul Reynolds - Secretary / Chief Executive |
| Website | mfe.govt.nz |
The Ministry for the Environment (MfE) (Māori: Manatū Mō Te Taiao) is the public service department of New Zealand charged with advising the government on policies and issues affecting the environment, in addition to the relevant environmental laws and standards.
The Environment Act 1986 is the foundation law establishing the Ministry.
Description
According to their website, the Ministry for the Environment is the New Zealand government's "principal adviser on the environment" and "on international environmental matters".[2] Since 1988, the Ministry of the Environment has coordinated New Zealand's interdepartmental policy response to climate change.[3]
The Environmental Protection Authority was set up in 2011 to carry out some of the environmental regulatory functions of the MfE as well as other government departments.
In 1997 the Ministry released New Zealand's first State of the Environment report.[4] This was followed up in 2008 by a second report titled Environment New Zealand 2007.[5] Chapter 13 of this report was removed before final publication but was leaked to the Green Party. After the media reported the existence of the omitted chapter the Ministry placed the contents on its website.[6]
The Ministry for the Environment administer a number of environmental funds:[7]
- Waste Minimisation Fund
- Environmental Legal Assistance Fund
- Contaminated Sites Remediation Fund
They also run the Green Ribbon Awards which have been given out by the Minister for the Environment since 1990.[8]
Ministers for the Environment
| Name | PM served | Took office | Left office | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Duncan MacIntyre[9] | Marshall | 9 February 1972 | 8 December 1972 | National |
| 2 | Joe Walding[10] | Kirk | 8 December 1972 | 10 September 1974 | Labour |
| 3 | Whetu Tirikatene-Sullivan[11] | Rowling | 10 September 1974 | 12 December 1975 | |
| 4 | Venn Young[12] | Muldoon | 12 December 1975 | 12 February 1981 | National |
| 5 | Ian Shearer[13] | 12 February 1981 | 26 July 1984 | ||
| 6 | Russell Marshall[14][15] | Lange | 26 July 1984 | 17 February 1986 | Labour |
| 7 | Phil Goff[16][17] | 17 February 1986 | 24 August 1987 | ||
| 8 | Geoffrey Palmer[18] | Lange, Palmer | 24 August 1987 | September 1990 | |
| 9 | Simon Upton | Bolger, Shipley | 1990 | 1999 | National |
| 10 | Marian Hobbs | Clark | 10 December 1999 | 19 October 2005 | Labour |
| 11 | David Benson-Pope | 19 October 2005 | 27 July 2007 | ||
| 12 | David Parker (acting) | 27 July 2007 | 31 October 2007[19] | ||
| 13 | Trevor Mallard | 31 October 2007 | 19 November 2008 | ||
| 14 | Nick Smith | Key | 19 November 2008 | 21 March 2012 [20] | National |
| 15 | Chris Finlayson (acting) | 21 March 2012 | April 2012 | ||
| 16 | Amy Adams | April 2012 | 6 October 2014 | ||
| (14) | Nick Smith | 8 October 2014 | incumbent |
See also
- Resource Management Act 1991, a major Act of Parliament used for environmental protection
- Environment Court of New Zealand
- Govt3, a discontinued sustainability programme
- List of environmental laws by country
- Climate change in New Zealand
Notes
- ↑ "Total Appropriations for Each Vote". Treasury.govt.nz. Retrieved 7 January 2015.
- ↑ "About the Ministry for the Environment". Mfe.govt.nz. Retrieved 7 January 2015.
- ↑ Ratnasiri et al. (12 June 1996). "Report on the in-depth review of the national communication of New Zealand". UNFCCC. Retrieved 15 July 2012.
- ↑ The State of New Zealand’s Environment 1997, Report Ref. ME612, Ministry for the Environment, Wellington, New Zealand.
- ↑ "State of Environment New Zealand report welcomed". New Zealand Government. 31 January 2008. Retrieved 30 January 2008.
- ↑ "Ministry stands by decision to drop conclusion chapter Media release: 11 February 2008". Ministry for the Environment. 11 February 2008. Retrieved 28 March 2008.
- ↑ "Sources of funding for projects and participation". Ministry for the Environment. 14 February 2011. Retrieved 1 March 2011.
- ↑ "The Green Ribbon Awards". Ministry for the Environment. 15 April 2011. Retrieved 5 June 2011.
- ↑ Wilson 1985, p. 91.
- ↑ Wilson 1985, p. 92.
- ↑ Wilson 1985, p. 93.
- ↑ Wilson 1985, p. 95.
- ↑ Wilson 1985, p. 96.
- ↑ "Resignation of Minister" (13 February 1986) 22 New Zealand Gazette 763
- ↑ Wilson 1985, p. 97.
- ↑ "Ministers Appointed" (13 February 1986) 22 New Zealand Gazette 763
- ↑ "Resignation of Ministers" (20 August 1987) 143 New Zealand Gazette 4053.
- ↑ "Appointment of Ministers" (20 August 1987) 143 New Zealand Gazette at 4053 at 4054.
- ↑ Rt. Hon Helen Clark, 27 July 2007, Acting Ministers in portfolios, New Zealand Government Press Release, retrieved 25 November 2007.
- ↑ "Key 'very disappointed', names new ministers". The New Zealand Herald. 21 March 2012. ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 21 March 2012.
References
- Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First ed. published 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. OCLC 154283103.