Brownlee Gerry: Appointments — Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Brownlee Gerry: Appointments — Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment 
[Sitting date: 10 May 2012. Volume:679;Page:2175. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE (Leader of the House) 
: 
 I move  
That the House recommend to the Governor-General that pursuant to section 4 of the Environment Act 1986 Dr Janice Claire Wright be appointed as Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment 
. The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment is an Officer of Parliament and I am pleased to note that Dr Wright was supported by all parties in this House for her reappointment.  
Dr Wright is the third commissioner. She began her 5-year term in March of 2007 following a career as an independent policy economic consultant. Dr Wright has a multidisciplinary background with a physics degree from Canterbury a Master’s degree in energy and resources from Berkeley in California and a PhD in public policy from Harvard. Before her current role Dr Wright worked as an independent policy consultant for many different Government agencies and as a member of various Crown entities’ boards.  
The functions and powers of the commissioner are defined by the Environment Act 1986. The commissioner has wide powers to investigate and report on any matter— 
The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (H V Ross Robertson) 
: Order! Would members leaving the Chamber— 
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE 
: —where in her opinion the environment may be or has been adversely affected. Parliament or any parliamentary select committee may also ask her to report on environmental matters.  
Dr Wright has recently described the main work of the commissioner as being investigations that result in reports being tabled in the House and providing advice to select committees. In my time as a Minister Dr Wright has reported on a number of issues that related to portfolios that I held. I think it would be fair for me to say that the commissioner’s intention to always produce well-reasoned and pragmatic reports was certainly seen on those occasions even though I may have had some disagreement with them. I think she has been a great advocate for the environment in her role since 2007. The Government supports the commissioner— 
The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (H V Ross Robertson) 
: Order! I am sorry to interrupt the member but there is too much background noise going on. Members having private conversations please do so outside the Chamber unless it is absolutely necessary for the business of the House. It is discourteous to the member trying to address it. 
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE 
: Yes all right Mr Speaker. Thank you. I was just making the point that although sometimes we may not always agree with the findings in reports that are brought down by Officers of Parliament I think it is very important that we do have people in those roles who are capable of producing reports that are of substance and that will give the public confidence about the findings. Dr Wright has made it her personal commitment to have reports that are well reasoned and pragmatic.  
She has served the country very well and served the interests of the environment very well since 2007. Having completed her first term I am sure she will continue to do that in a second term. The Government supports the commissioner and looks forward to the upcoming report on hydroelectricity wild rivers and hot water heatings with a focus on energy efficiency and water quality as well as her report on fracking. These are important. They are contemporary matters and I am sure that Dr Wright will do a great job by the New Zealand environment in her reports.