February 01, 2023
Conservation knocking on cabinet door
National’s Christchurch Central candidate, Dale Stephens, says giving the Conservation portfolio to a new minister outside cabinet sends the signal the environment isn’t seen as important.
Northland MP Willow-Jean Prime was given the role in yesterday’s reshuffle.
Dale Stephens, who also chairs New Zealand Maori Tourism, says protection of the environment is important for tourism generally.
“I know that from the tourism sector and Maori business and from the primary sector and the kind of stuff we are so well known for, it is heavily reliant on our environment being sustainable, being clean, creating the kind of product the world wants, so I would have liked to see Conservation inside cabinet,” he says.
Dale Stephens is also unhappy Food Safety is outside cabinet in the hands of Meka Whaitiri.