<[link removed]>Hi Friend,

I'm Rhys, the Investigations Coordinator at the Taxpayers' Union. We have just uncovered an example of wasteful spending that demonstrates just how bloated, out-of-touch, and insidious Wellington has become. 😡

We've discovered that, in the last two years alone, the Ministry for the Environment has funnelled $3.8 million of taxpayer money to eco-activist groups.

What that means is while voters elected a Government to be more 'pro growth', officials are secretly funding (with your money!) lobby groups whose purpose is to fight the elected government's policies in the courts.

In fact, we've discovered that the groups includeForest & Bird and even the Environmental Defence Society (EDS).

You couldn't make this up. At the same time, Forest & Bird were literally in Court judicially reviewing the Minister for the Environment against the consenting of coal mines <[link removed]>, the Ministry for the Environment is shoving to the organisation your taxpayer money to undermine the Minister!

The Ministry’s tentacles have spread too far 🐙

This news raises the very obvious question: why do we have a Ministry for the Environment and what does it do?

It doesn’t restore wetlands, plant trees, or protect native species – that work is done by the Department of Conservation (DOC) and local councils.

The Ministry for the Environment is by every definition a true 'bureaucracy'. It's a bloated back office policy shop staffed by activists who would work for Greenpeace but for the incredible pay packets the MfE offers (the average staff remuneration last year was $153,000, while the average "leadership" salary is $337,237!).

Is this why you pay your taxes? 👀

It's one thing to have an agency to produce environmental red-tape, it's another to have it use your money to fund activists whose purpose is to undermine the democratically elected Government’s policies.

Take the Environmental Defence Society (EDS). They pocketed $343,883 of taxpayer money while actively fighting the RMA reforms. Their CEO, Gary Taylor, made their agenda clear:

👉 “2024 was a dark year indeed. A panoply of legislative changes weakened many existing environmental protections and introduced new fast-track provisions that will enable bad projects to get approved.”

👉 “The reforms planned for 2025 are far more extensive and worrying.”

👉“Development interests have so far had their way with this Government. The way Federated Farmers, miners and others have opportunistically wrestled their agendas into law is disconcerting.”



Then there's Forest & Bird - who at the same time as being funded by taxpayers, are paying activists to write opinion pieces for the NZ Herald that label the Government's policies as a "war on nature".



It seems apt to be writing this during Conservation Week, with its theme of “Take action for conservation”. Forest & Bird is standing up and fighting back against these reforms. You can take action by letting your MP and the Prime Minister know that you don’t back their war on nature. [...]

Right now, his Government’s policies constitute a war on nature, and by extension, a war on who we are. I’m pretty sure nobody voted for that.

How has this happened? 🤑

We say, that funding eco-activist groups does not serve the public, nor taxpayers.

The new Minister for the Environment, Penny Simmonds told us last week that she's now overruled officials and put an end to the taxpayer funding of these particular activist groups.

Good. From our perspective, the funding isn't just anti-democratic, it forces taxpayers to fund groups they do not necessarily agree with.

But, let's be honest , the issue isn't just the finding – it's what it represents: a Ministry for the Environment that is totally out of control.

In 2017/18, the Ministry for the Environment had 360 full-time staff. By last year that number had swelled to 939!

Even after some minor cuts, it remains bloated, with an army of policy advisors writing reports, pushing agendas, and – as we've discovered – funnelling taxpayer cash to activists.

This little trim is what the media means when they cry about 'massive cuts'...  Judge for yourself:



If we don’t cut the Ministry back to its 2017 size, it will only keep finding new ways to waste money.

Budget 2025 - what better place to find savings? 👍

Friend, over the next month or so, Finance Minister Nicola Willis will be making decisions about baseline spending in this year's Budget.

So rather than just expose and complain about a wasteful government agency, let's do something about it!

We've created an email tool for you to email the Minister of Finance to ask her to cut back this wasteful activist, government agency to pre-COVID levels.

Take a moment to ask Nicola Willis to slash MfE back to its original size before another cent is wasted on activist lobbying. <[link removed]>

If we don’t cut the Ministry back pre-COVID size, it will only keep finding new ways to waste, sorry, spend your money.

Remember, this agency doesn't do a thing on the front line. It's the agency that leads to things like the 'Te Mana o te Wai' nonsense – that requires councils to promote the 'mana' and 'spiritual health' of New Zealand's water. 🤦

What better case for an agency to downsize?

☞☞☞ Email Nicola Willis 📧 <[link removed]>

Friend, in politics, the squeaky wheel gets the oil. Bureaucracies like the MfE survive by remaining hidden and unaccountable. That's why I need a minute of your time.

Please take a moment to tell Nicola Willis to walk the talk and cut this wasteful activist spending. <[link removed]>

Thank you for your support.


Rhys Hurley
Investigations Coordinator
New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union

New Zealand Taxpayers' Union Inc. · 117 Lambton Quay, Level 4, Wellington 6011, New Zealand
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