New environment secretary appointed

New environment secretary appointed
James Palmer will take over complex policy work as the new head of MfE. (Image: Supplied)
Ian Llewellyn
James Palmer has been appointed as the new head of the Ministry for the Environment as it faces a challenging political and policy time.Palmer has a background in policy development, including senior roles. However, since 2017 he has been the chief executive of Hawke’s Bay Regional Council.One of the criticisms of successive governments’ environmental policies has been the placing of more responsibility on councils, in a variety of environmental and resource management roles, without the funding or the capacity to adequately cope wi...

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