Nick Smith MP
National Party Environment Spokesman

4 June 2008

Embarrassing Govt waste on World Environment Day

The Government has had to recall 20,000 15-page colour brochures produced by the Ministry for the Environment for World Environment Day because of a serious content error, says National’s Environment spokesman, Nick Smith.

‘World Environment Day is meant to be about reducing waste, yet the embarrassing botch-up over this brochure is just going to add to waste. How much did it cost the taxpayer?”

The brochure, ‘25 Easy Steps Towards Sustainability’, was distributed to environment centres and councils around New Zealand last week in preparation for World Environment Day tomorrow.

An error was made regarding the recommended 55 degrees temperature for hot water cylinders when the Building Code requires a temperature greater than 60 degrees to reduce the health risk from exposure to Legionella bacteria.

Centres that had received the brochures were instructed to return them to the Ministry.

“This is the Labour Government again in trouble over its sustainability spin. It lost both its Minister and Chief Executive over interference in communication and staff appointments, and earlier this year got caught doctoring the State of the Environment report by deleting chapter 13.

“This brochure is yet another example of the way Labour is using Government departments to drive its sustainability theme for re-election while shutting down alternative views with the Electoral Finance Act.”

ENDS

MfE Correction: MfE Correction: http://www.sustainability.govt.nz/news/2008/
correction-%E2%80%9C25-easy-steps-towards-sustainability-booklet

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