Conservation Board appointments outrageous
National’s Conservation spokesman, Nick Smith, says Labour is being breathtakingly arrogant with its eleventh hour
appointment of 52 people to New Zealand’s 14 Conservation Boards for terms of three years.
“This is an outrageous abuse of the convention in the cabinet manual that significant government appointments are not
made in the three months prior to an election.
“The General Election must be held by 15 November, meaning that no appointments should have been made after 15 August.
“We would not object to the odd appointment to fill unexpected vacancies, if we were consulted, but to appoint 52 board
members for the entire country for three years is an abuse of power. It also means the appointments will again come up
in the pre-election period in 2011.
“These appointments are particularly provocative when National has announced policy that promotes shifting the focus of
Board appointments to greater involvement of outdoor recreationalists.
“These appointments should be put on hold to be either confirmed or altered by the incoming Government after the
election.”
ENDS