Peters officially posts new diplomatic appointments – Jones has yet to do the same with changes to fishing rules
A slew of new diplomatic appointments has been announced by Foreign Minister Winston Peters while Transport Minister Simeon Brown at last has got around to having the Government decision to axe the Auckland Regional Fuel Tax posted on the government ‘s official website.
The appointments are:
Transport Minister Simeon Brown’s confirmation that the Auckland Regional Fuel Tax will end on 30 June – on the other hand – had been well publicised by news media long before it was officially posted on the Beehive website.
And those are the only accomplishments from our hard-working ministers over the past 24 hours or so, it would seem.
But no.
Shane Jones, Minister for Oceans and Fisheries, has announced changes to fishing rules and the undertaking of a significant science programme to address kina barrens.
“There has been tremendous interest from iwi, communities and recreational fishers who had raised concerns about such kina infestations being a major threat to Northland’s marine biodiversity,” said Jones.
He has instructed his officials to accelerate and prioritise this work to address those concerns.
Several pieces of work underway to address kina barrens include:
- Mark Gibb as High Commissioner to Niue.
- Phil Hewitt as High Commissioner to South Africa.
- Helen Tunnah as Ambassador to Timor-Leste.
- Caroline Beresford as Ambassador to Viet Nam.
- Paula Wilson as Ambassador for Counterterrorism – based in Wellington.
Transport Minister Simeon Brown’s confirmation that the Auckland Regional Fuel Tax will end on 30 June – on the other hand – had been well publicised by news media long before it was officially posted on the Beehive website.
And those are the only accomplishments from our hard-working ministers over the past 24 hours or so, it would seem.
But no.
Shane Jones, Minister for Oceans and Fisheries, has announced changes to fishing rules and the undertaking of a significant science programme to address kina barrens.
“There has been tremendous interest from iwi, communities and recreational fishers who had raised concerns about such kina infestations being a major threat to Northland’s marine biodiversity,” said Jones.
He has instructed his officials to accelerate and prioritise this work to address those concerns.
Several pieces of work underway to address kina barrens include:
- A two-year fisheries closure and fishing method prohibition at Tutukaka Harbour, Ngunguru Bay, Ngunguru River, Horahora River, and surrounding areas to help increase the abundance of rock lobster, a predator of kina.
- Options for rule changes that will better enable iwi and communities to remove kina from kina barren areas. Two new types of permits are being proposed to enable improved and more efficient management of kina barren areas.
- Consideration of an increase of the recreational bag limit for kina, and the potential for this to contribute as part of the overall package of measures to manage kina barrens. This option will go through public consultation in the coming months.
- A scientific programme to deepen our understanding of kina barrens and their impacts, and inform evidence-based decision making. This includes mapping to better understand the specific nature and extent of kina barren areas.
“There’s a desire for tools that empower tangata whenua to manage kina and kina barrens within their own rohe, and community groups have also expressed an interest in getting behind this important work,” Jones said.
“What I would like to see is locals getting involved in removing unwanted kina, without inadvertently affecting healthy kina populations. There is an opportunity here for a new generation of people to learn about their local marine ecosystem and take part in restoring and preserving its ongoing health.”
This looks like work worth mentioning to the public.
And Jones yesterday released the news in a media statement which has been posted by Scoop.
But you won’t find it on the website which Point of Order monitors:
Latest from the Beehive
9 FEBRUARY 2024
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced five new diplomatic appointments.
8 FEBRUARY 2024
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has confirmed that the Auckland Regional Fuel Tax will end on 30 June 2024.
Point of Order is a blog focused on politics and the economy run by veteran newspaper reporters Bob Edlin and Ian Templeton
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