ERMA acts on Review recommendations

Environment Minister Marian Hobbs today released details of actions taken by the Environmental Risk Management Authority on the 49 recommendations made in the Capability Review earlier this year.

The review, conducted by a three person panel headed by Graeme Nahkies, former chief executive of Environment Waikato and Hutt Valley Health Ltd, found that ERMA had the capability to do its job and recommended ways to strengthen the authority's performance.

"In response to the review the chairperson, Neil Walter, initiated a high level organisational review covering management and governance structures and systems," Marian Hobbs said. "These findings are now being implemented and will be completed by the end of October.

"ERMA is expanding its public awareness programme and strengthening its relationship with stakeholders. I will be appointing new members to strengthen Authority capability and the agency is now engaged in upskilling staff in certain areas and ensuring recruitment is more strategic.

"The review panel was clear that the Authority contained a good cross-section of the necessary skills and experience. The 49 recommendations were about strengthening management structures and systems. I am confident that as a result of the external and internal reviews and actions taken, ERMA is ready and fully capable to carry out its statutory functions when the moratorium ends, allowing applications for the release of GM organisms to be considered."

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