Being Conservation Minister 'a real privilege': Williams speaks out after Cabinet reshuffle

Saturday, 18 June 2022

Christchurch East MP Poto Williams became the new Conservation Minister this week.

The new Conservation Minister says she feels privileged to have the role after this week’s Cabinet reshuffle, and the latest Budget is proof the Government is committed to protecting Aotearoa’s wildlife.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced the reshuffle on Monday after the departures of senior MPs Kris Faafoi and Trevor Mallard.

Christchurch East MP Poto Williams lost her role as Police Minister to Chris Hipkins, as Ardern said there was a need to “get back to basics” for policing. A spike in ramraids and gang shootings had recently seen opposition MPs slam Labour as “soft on crime”.

Then-Conservation Minister Kiritapu Allan picked up Faafoi’s justice portfolio, while Williams picked up conservation.

* Jacinda Ardern rings in cautious Cabinet changes - but will they be enough?

* Here's how the Government and councils plan to save Aotearoa's wildlife

However, this lead to both opposition and environmentalists raising concerns the conservation portfolio was being treated as a demotion.

Stuff asked Williams on Saturday what assurance she could give that the portfolio would not be treated like a demotion.

Poto Williams will take up another role in Cabinet.

She said she saw being New Zealand’s 15th Minister of Conservation as “a real privilege”.

It was a substantial role, which she said included overseeing the Department of Conservation’s (DOC) estate – which covers 30% of New Zealand’s land area – “and has a footprint in every community across Aotearoa New Zealand”.

DOC received its “largest ever” funding boost in Budget 2022, Williams said, which demonstrated this Government’s commitment to conservation.

“There are many exciting opportunities in the conservation portfolio, and now that our borders are reopened there is a real opportunity to promote New Zealand’s international brand through delivering biodiversity outcomes, sustainable tourism and addressing climate change.

DOC’s Director-General Penny Nelson says she’s excited about the new minister.

“I am also committed to the Treaty partnership, which must be at the heart of conservation.”

Director-General of Conservation, Penny Nelson, said whether the conservation portfolio had been treated like a demotion was a question for politicians.

“I’m really excited about our new minister, and working with her.

“She’s thrilled to have the portfolio, she’s an experienced minister, and she loves conservation, so we’re going to do some great work together.”

Conservation came out quite well off in the Government’s 2022 Budget, with nearly $400 million of new spending over four years.

Invasive deer are causing a lot of damage, DOC director-general Penny Nelson says (file photo).

Former Conservation Minister Allan said they were facing “twin crises for biodiversity and the climate”, and they were intrinsically linked.

Key initiatives included $64m to help deliver the Predator Free 2050 strategy, including $30m for researching and developing new tools and technology to eradicate rats, stoats, and possums, and a provision to help create two new predator-free offshore islands for vulnerable species like kākāpō.

It featured $27m for maintaining DOC’s national predator control programmes – which will increase ongoing predator control work by another 150,000 hectares.

It also included $30m for deer and goat control, part of a new crackdown on invasive ungulates.

“We monitor deer throughout the country, [and] there’s been a huge increase at the sites that we monitor,” Nelson said.

“They’re doing a lot of damage. After the possums, stoats, and rats, which are 80% of the problem, deer are the next big ones off the block.”

DOC would be partnering with the NZ Game Animal Council, the NZ Deerstalkers Association, and the Sika Foundation, so hunters and conservationists could work on the problem together.

“That gives you a sense of how big the problem is, and why we’ve got to do something.”

A substantial $60m in the budget has been set aside for taking care of DOC’s many visitor assets, while $13m has been set aside for cultural heritage protection.

Marine protection has been given a $13m cash injection, plus $7m towards preventing the extinction of some of New Zealand’s flagship marine species, while there is $10m set aside for electric vehicles, and $3m for reducing DOC’s carbon emissions.