Annual Report 2003/2004

1 Overview

2 Statement of Service Performance for the Year Ended 30 June 2004

3 Financial Statements for the Ministry for the Environment

4 Financial Statements and Schedules: Non-Departmental

5 Triple Bottom Line Progress

6 Management of the Ministry

7 Contact Information

Chief Executive's overview

This has been a year of some significant 'firsts' for the Ministry.

We held the first meeting of our new Chief Executives' Environment Forum, which brings together the chief executives of all regional councils and seven government departments with interests in environment and resource management. We expect the forum to provide leadership in areas of mutual interest and to initiate joint programmes of action.

By way of contrast, we hosted the first national Youth Environment Forum. Bringing together 49 lively and interested young people from around the country - selected by their regional councils - made for a stimulating and challenging four days.

And, to make sure that our activities are firmly connected with the community, we held our first 'Talk Environment' roadshow in 16 regions. More than 1000 people from business, local government and the community came along to tell us what they thought of us and our work.

Another first was our package of 14 national environmental standards (which was signed off by Cabinet in July 2004). While these are the first national environmental standards under the Resource Management Act - now 13 years old - they will not be the last.

Some substantial work programmes that were not among our planned commitments for 2003/04 came our way during the year. We responded by refocusing our priorities and our resources to do what the Government asked of us. Both work programmes (Waitaki catchment and the Resource Management Act review) are continuing into 2004/05.

In September 2003 the Government announced that it would call in applications for water use in the Waitaki River catchment, including Project Aqua, and would introduce special legislation to ensure that the best decisions are made about water use in the absence of a water allocation plan. We rapidly established a local office and a newsletter to help the community have a say.

In May 2004 the Environment Ministers announced a review of the Resource Management Act (1991), intended to improve both the legislation and the way it operates in practice. The Ministry has led a whole of government approach to providing advice and seeking input from interested parties within a short timeframe.

Finally, we were able to celebrate the completion of a major work programme resulting from the Royal Commission on Genetic Modification. The necessary legislation to amend the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act was passed shortly before the end of the moratorium on applications to release genetically modified organisms in October 2003.

Overall, the year under review has been a successful one for the Ministry for the Environment.

Barry Carbon
Chief Executive