Minister of Conservation (New Zealand)

Last updated

Minister of Conservation
Coat of arms of New Zealand.svg
Flag of New Zealand.svg
Tama Potaka (cropped).png
Incumbent
Tama Potaka
since 27 November 2023
Department of Conservation
Style The Honourable
Member of Executive Council
Reports to Prime Minister of New Zealand
Appointer Governor-General of New Zealand
Term length At His Majesty's pleasure
Formation1 April 1987
First holder Russell Marshall
Salary$288,900 [1]
Website www.beehive.govt.nz

The Minister of Conservation is a minister in the government of New Zealand. The minister has responsibility for promoting conservation of the natural and historic heritage of New Zealand. [2]

Contents

The current minister is Tama Potaka. [3]

History

The role of Minister of Conservation was established in 1987 alongside the formation of the Department of Conservation and the passage of the Conservation Act 1987.

Responsibilities

The minister leads the government's work on conservation issues and is responsible for advocating on behalf of conservation outcomes in the natural resources sector. In that way, the minister works closely with the Minister for the Environment, the Minister of Energy and Resources, the Minister for Oceans and Fisheries, the Minister for Biosecurity, the Minister for Land Information, the Minister of Local Government, the Minister of Tourism and the Minister of Agriculture. [4] [5]

As the responsible minister for the Department of Conservation, the minister's portfolio overseas 30% of the land area in New Zealand. In addition to the Conservation Act 1987, the minister is responsible for the Wildlife Act 1953, the Marine Reserves Act 1971, the Wild Animal Control Act 1977, the Marine Mammals Protection Act 1978, and the National Parks Act 1980. [2] The minister has functions under the Resource Management Act 1991, including the New Zealand Coastal Policy Statement, approving regional coastal plans developed by local authorities, and acting as the local authority for the Kermadec and Subantarctic Islands. [4] [5]

The minister is responsible for acquiring land for conservation purposes, recommending the creation of national parks, granting concessions for activities on public conservation land, and establishing marine mammal sanctuaries and marine reserves. [4] [5]

The minister oversees and appoints members of the 15 regional conservation boards, the 29 reserves boards, the Fish & Game Council (and regional Fish & Game Councils), the Game Animal Council, the Game Bird Habitat Trust Board, the New Zealand Conservation Authority, and Predator Free 2050 Limited. [4] [5]

The Loder Cup awarded for conservation is presented by the minister.

List of ministers

Key

   Labour    National    Alliance    Green

No.NamePortraitTerm of officePrime Minister
1 Russell Marshall Russell Marshall.jpg 1 April 198724 August 1987 Lange
2 Helen Clark Helen Clark UNDP 2010.jpg 24 August 198730 January 1989
3 Philip Woollaston No image.png 30 January 19892 November 1990
Palmer
Moore
4 Denis Marshall No image.png 2 November 199030 May 1996 Bolger
5 Simon Upton Simon Upton 01 crop.jpg 30 May 199616 December 1996
6 Nick Smith Nick Smith (cropped).jpg 16 December 199610 December 1999
Shipley
7 Sandra Lee Sandra Lee 1990's.jpg 10 December 199915 August 2002 Clark
8 Chris Carter Chris Carter, 2008.jpg 15 August 200231 October 2007
9 Steve Chadwick Steve Chadwick.jpg 31 October 200719 November 2008
10 Tim Groser Tim Groser.jpg 19 November 200827 January 2010 Key
11 Kate Wilkinson Kate Wilkinson crop.jpg 27 January 201022 January 2013
(6) Nick Smith Nick Smith (cropped).jpg 22 January 20138 October 2014
12 Maggie Barry Maggie Barry crop.png 8 October 201426 October 2017
English
13 Eugenie Sage Eugenie Sage.jpg 26 October 20176 November 2020 Ardern
14 Kiri Allan Kiri Allan.jpg 6 November 202014 June 2022
15 Poto Williams Hon Poto Williams.jpg 14 June 20221 February 2023
Hipkins
16 Willow-Jean Prime Willow-Jean Prime (New Zealand Politician).jpg 1 February 202327 November 2023
17 Tama Potaka Tama Potaka (cropped).png 27 November 2023present Luxon

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Regions of New Zealand</span> Top administrative divisions of New Zealand

New Zealand is divided into sixteen regions for local government purposes. Eleven are administered by regional councils, and five are administered by unitary authorities, which are territorial authorities that also perform the functions of regional councils. The Chatham Islands Council is not a region but is similar to a unitary authority, authorised under its own legislation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cabinet of New Zealand</span> Central decision-making forum of the New Zealand Government

The Cabinet of New Zealand is the New Zealand Government's body of senior ministers, accountable to the New Zealand Parliament. Cabinet meetings, chaired by the prime minister, occur once a week; in them, vital issues are discussed and government policy is formulated. Cabinet is also composed of a number of committees focused on specific areas of governance and policy. Though not established by any statute, Cabinet has significant power in the New Zealand political system and nearly all bills proposed by Cabinet in Parliament are enacted.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Department of Conservation (New Zealand)</span> New Zealand government agency

The Department of Conservation is the public service department of New Zealand charged with the conservation of New Zealand's natural and historical heritage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Protected areas of New Zealand</span>

Protected areas of New Zealand are areas that are in some way protected to preserve their environmental, scientific, scenic, historical, cultural or recreational value. There are about 10,000 protected areas, covering about a third of the country. The method and aims of protection vary according to the importance of the resource and whether it is publicly or privately owned.

Kaitiakitanga is a New Zealand Māori term used for the concept of guardianship, for the sky, the sea, and the land. A kaitiaki is a guardian, and the process and practices of protecting and looking after the environment are referred to as kaitiakitanga.

The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC) is the central public service department of New Zealand charged with providing support and advice to the governor-general, the prime minister and members of the Cabinet of New Zealand. The department is also charged with centrally leading New Zealand's "national security planning, which includes civil defence."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Zealand Government</span> Central government of New Zealand

The New Zealand Government is the central government through which political authority is exercised in New Zealand. As in most other parliamentary democracies, the term "Government" refers chiefly to the executive branch, and more specifically to the collective ministry directing the executive. Based on the principle of responsible government, it operates within the framework that "the [King] reigns, but the government rules, so long as it has the support of the House of Representatives". The Cabinet Manual describes the main laws, rules and conventions affecting the conduct and operation of the Government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ministry for Culture and Heritage</span> Cultural ministry in New Zealand

The Ministry for Culture and Heritage is the department of the New Zealand Government responsible for supporting the arts, culture, built heritage, sport and recreation, and broadcasting sectors in New Zealand and advising government on such.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Minister for Oceans and Fisheries</span> New Zealand minister of the Crown

The Minister for Oceans and Fisheries is the minister of the New Zealand Government responsible for the management of New Zealand's fisheries, including aquaculture, and for oceans policy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eugenie Sage</span> New Zealand politician

Eugenie Meryl Sage is a environmentalist and former New Zealand politician. Since the 2011 election, she has been a Green Party list MP in the House of Representatives and served as the Minister of Conservation and Land Information and the Associate Minister for the Environment from 2017 to 2020. She concluded her parliamentary term following the 2023 New Zealand general election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority</span>

The Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority was the public service department of New Zealand charged with coordinating the rebuild of Christchurch and the surrounding areas following the 22 February 2011 earthquake. After it was disestablished on 18 April 2016, CERA's functions were taken over by a variety of other agencies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Minister for National Security and Intelligence (New Zealand)</span> New Zealand minister of the Crown

The Minister for National Security and Intelligence is a minister in the government of New Zealand who is responsible for leading and setting the policies and legislative framework of New Zealand's national security system. The current minister is Christopher Luxon, who is also the current Prime Minister of New Zealand, as by convention, the National Security and Intelligence portfolio is always held by the Prime Minister.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Conservation in Scotland</span>

This article gives an overview of the structure of environmental and cultural conservation in Scotland, a constituent country of the United Kingdom.

Hawea Marine Reserve is a marine reserve covering an area of 411 hectares in Hāwea / Bligh Sound, in Fiordland on New Zealand's South Island. It was established in 2005 and is administered by the Department of Conservation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rachel Brooking</span> New Zealand Labour Party politician

Rachel Jane Brooking is a New Zealand Labour Party politician and Member of Parliament who is currently serving as the Minister for Oceans and Fisheries and Minister for Food Safety in the Sixth Labour Government. She first became an MP at the 2020 New Zealand general election. She is a lawyer by profession.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Westhaven (Te Tai Tapu) Marine Reserve</span>

Westhaven Marine Reserve is a marine reserve covering an area of 536 hectares in the Whanganui Inlet at the top of New Zealand's South Island. It was established in 1994 and is administered by the Department of Conservation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taumoana (Five Finger Peninsula) Marine Reserve</span>

Taumoana Marine Reserve is a marine reserve covering an area of 464 hectares in Fiordland on New Zealand's South Island. It was established in 2005 and is administered by the Department of Conservation. It is located next to the Five Fingers Peninsula, at the entrance to Tamatea / Dusky Sound.

Te Hapua Marine Reserve is a marine reserve covering an area of 449 hectares of Te Hāpua / Sutherland Sound, in Fiordland on New Zealand's South Island. It was established in 2005 and is administered by the Department of Conservation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Minister for Child Poverty Reduction</span>

The Minister for Child Poverty Reduction is a ministerial position in the New Zealand Government responsible for overseeing and executing the Government's child poverty reduction strategy. The position was created upon the formation of the Sixth Labour Government and is currently held by Jan Tinetti.

References

  1. "Parliamentary Salaries and Allowances Determination 2016" (PDF). Parliament.nz. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
  2. 1 2 "Conservation | Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC)". www.dpmc.govt.nz. 23 October 2020. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  3. "Ministerial List". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet . Retrieved 2 December 2017.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Department of Conservation (2020). Briefing to the incoming Minister of Conservation (PDF) (Report).
  5. 1 2 3 4 Department of Conservation (June 2022). Briefing to the incoming Minister of Conservation (PDF) (Report).