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Eugenie Sage

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The Honourable
Eugenie Sage
Sage in 2023
13th Minister of Conservation
In office
26 October 2017 – 6 November 2020
Prime MinisterJacinda Ardern
Preceded byMaggie Barry
Succeeded byKiri Allan
16th Minister for Land Information
In office
26 October 2017 – 6 November 2020
Prime MinisterJacinda Ardern
Preceded byMark Mitchell
Succeeded byDamien O'Connor
Member of the New Zealand Parliament
for Green party list
In office
10 December 2011 (2011-12-10) – 14 October 2023
Personal details
Born1958 (age 65–66)
Auckland, New Zealand
Political partyGreen
RelationsPat Suggate (father-in-law)
WebsiteGreen Party profile

Eugenie Meryl Sage (born 1958)[1] is a New Zealand environmentalist and former politician. She was a Green Party Member of Parliament in the New Zealand House of Representatives from 2011 to 2023.

Sage served as Minister of Conservation, Minister for Land Information and Associate Minister for the Environment from 2017 to 2020, in the first term of the Sixth Labour Government.

Early life

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Sage was born in Auckland, the first of four children to parents Meryl (née Williams) and Tony Sage, who was a chartered accountant.[2][3][4] She attended St Cuthbert's College, Auckland.[5] Between secondary school and university, Sage worked as a cleaner and kitchen hand at an Auckland retirement village and rest home.[6] At the University of Auckland, Sage studied arts and law, wrote for Craccum and participated in environmental activism.[2][7][8] After graduation, she went on to study journalism at the University of Canterbury, earning a post-graduate diploma in 1984.[8][9]

Sage's long-time partner is Richard Suggate, a former Department of Conservation manager.[2]

Career

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Before holding elected office, Sage had a career in communications and environmentalism. Her first professional role was working as a communications officer for the New Zealand Forest Service based on the West Coast.[8] From 1984 to 1990 she worked at Parliament in Wellington as a research officer for the New Zealand Labour Party and as a press secretary for Helen Clark.[8] At the time that Sage worked in her office, Clark was the Minister of Conservation and the Department of Conservation had been newly established.

Moving to Christchurch in 1990, Sage worked as a freelance journalist and later as a field officer and spokesperson for Forest & Bird from 1993 until 2007.[2][8][10] Working for Forest & Bird, she gained a public profile advocating against the environmental impacts of logging, mining, and dairy farming.[8][11]

Local government career

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Sage contested and won the Selwyn–Banks Peninsula constituency of Environment Canterbury (the Canterbury Regional Council) at the 2007 local elections.[12] Sage's defeat of the incumbent, former Selwyn mayor Bill Woods, was described as one of the election's biggest surprises.[13] Sage was one of four new councillors elected who had campaigned on a "pro-water" platform.[13][14] She was aligned with the centre-left bloc of councillors who supported Sir Kerry Burke in the council's leadership elections in October 2007 and September 2009.[15][16]

On the council, Sage was assigned responsibility for pest management and oversaw measures to control weeds, possums, and wild goats.[17][18][19][20] Water was a major issue during the 2007–2010 council term as the council looked to agree a new regional water strategy. At the same time, dairy farming was continuing to intensify in the region and the council had been ranked last among 84 councils in terms of resource consent processing in 2009.[21] A review of the council was initiated by environment minister Nick Smith and local government minister Rodney Hide which recommended the council be replaced with commissioners and a new Canterbury Water Authority be established.[22][23] Sage described the government's decision as acting in the interests of agribusiness and irrigation lobbyists.[24] She lost her councillor position on 1 May 2010 when the council was disestablished,[25] but was appointed as a community member to the Selwyn-Waihora Zone Water Management Committee of Canterbury Water Management Strategy (CWMS) in October 2010.[26]

Member of Parliament

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New Zealand Parliament
Years Term Electorate List Party
2011–2014 50th List 6 Green
2014–2017 51st List 4 Green
2017–2020 52nd List 4 Green
2020–2023 53rd List 6 Green

Sage contested the Selwyn electorate at the 2011 general election for the Green Party. Although she did not win the electorate, she was ranked at sixth on the party's list.[27] The Green Party received sufficient votes to return 14 list members and Sage entered Parliament for the first time.

In her maiden statement delivered on 15 February 2012, Sage said she would not have run for parliament if the Environment Canterbury regional council had not been replaced with commissioners.[28] She also spoke of her ambitions to create new marine protected areas around the Kermadec Islands and in the Ross Sea, and to enact stronger plant and water conservation laws.[28]

Sage was re-elected as a list MP three years later after unsuccessfully contesting the Port Hills electorate.[29][30] In addition to her caucus responsibilities as her party's spokesperson on Christchurch, conservation, the environment, land information, local government, resource management issues, and water, she served as deputy chairperson of the local government and environment committee from 2011 to 2014 and as a member of that committee from 2014 to 2017.[31]

Minister in the Sixth Labour Government, 2017–2020

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During the 2017 election, Sage contested Port Hills for a second time, coming third place.[32] She was re-elected to Parliament on the Green Party list.[33]

Following the formation of the Sixth Labour Government, Sage assumed the ministerial portfolios for Conservation and Land Information, and Associate Minister for the Environment.[34] In her two main positions, Sage was responsible for the two government agencies—the Department of Conservation and Land Information New Zealand—which managed more than one-third of New Zealand's land area.[35] As Associate Minister for the Environment, Sage had responsibility for waste and oversaw the phase-out of single-use plastic bags in New Zealand.[35][36] She acted as Minister for Women in 2018 when Julie Anne Genter took maternity leave.[37]

As Conservation Minister, Sage led the development of Te Mana o te Taiao, the Aotearoa New Zealand Biodiversity Strategy,[38] began a governance review of Fish & Game New Zealand,[39][40] and initiated a controversial cull of imported Himalayan tahr on conservation land which resulted in her receiving death threats and was eventually scaled down.[41][42][43] She established the $1.2 billion Jobs For Nature programme as part of the government's COVID-19 relief efforts and opened the Paparoa Track Great Walk in 2020.[44] However, she failed to deliver a planned and funded drylands park in the Mackenzie Basin or a proposed prohibition on mining on conservation land.[35] The latter was reportedly due to Government parties disagreeing on the policy.[45][46]

As Land Information Minister, Sage had a decision-making role related to overseas ownership of New Zealand land. She was criticised by former Green MP Sue Bradford for approving "nearly every" application despite Green Party policy opposed to the practice of foreign land ownership; Sage said she did not have discretion under the law to decline many applications.[47] Sage also attracted criticism for disagreeing with Labour ministers on some overseas investment decisions where joint decision-making was required; on one occasion after she had refused to agree to the expansion of a gold mine in Waihi a new application by the same company for the same land was referred to different ministers for a final decision.[48] A review into the Overseas Investment Act was initiated in April 2019 but Labour's Associate Finance Minister David Parker was assigned responsibility for the review.[49]

Final term and retirement

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During the 2020 New Zealand election that was held on 17 October, Sage was re-elected to Parliament on the party list.[50] She also contested the Banks Peninsula electorate and came third place behind Labour's Tracey McLellan and National's Catherine Chu.[51] She was not retained as a minister in the Government's second term and was instead appointed chairperson of Parliament's environment committee as part of the cooperation agreement between the Labour Party and the Green Party.[31][52][53] She was also appointed the Green Party spokesperson for conservation, emergency management, the environment, forestry, land information, three waters, and oceans and fisheries.[31] On 9 November 2020, Sage was granted retention of the title "The Honourable" for life, in recognition of her term as a member of the Executive Council.[54]

A member's bill in Sage's name was drawn from the ballot and introduced into Parliament in August 2022. The Crown Minerals (Prohibition of Mining) Amendment Bill would prevent new permits being granted on conservation land and prevent all coal-mining permits from being granted on any land from 2025.[55][45] Four years prior, when Sage was Conservation Minister, the Government had indicated it would not grant new permits for mining on conservation land.[56][57] Public consultation on the issue was intended to be carried out from September 2018;[58] however, in early 2020 Sage acknowledged that it had not been possible for Labour, the Greens and New Zealand First to agree on a discussion document.[45][46] The policy was not progressed before the 2020 election and was dropped when Labour was re-elected without requiring Green Party support. Sage's member's bill was considered in 2023 but was defeated at first reading.[59][60]

In late November 2022, Sage convinced the Labour Party to support a Green Party amendment that the Water Services Bill set a 60% parliamentary threshold for privatising public water assets. This entrenchment clause was controversial and attracted criticism from the opposition National and ACT parties, and the New Zealand Law Society.[61][62] In early December 2022, Leader of the House and Labour MP Chris Hipkins announced that the anti-privatisation entrenchment clause would be removed.[63] Due to the removal of the anti-privatisation clause, Sage and her fellow Green MPs withdrew their support for the Water Services Entities Bill, which passed with the sole support of the Labour Party on 7 December 2022.[64][65]

In late December 2022, Sage announced she would not be contesting the upcoming 2023 election.[66] Following the 2023 general election, Sage concluded her 12-year term as an MP.

Political views

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Sage has generally voted consistently with socially progressive positions. She voted in support of the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Act 2013, End of Life Choice Act 2019, and Abortion Legislation Act 2020.

References

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  1. ^ Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand List Ranking Process 2011 Candidate Information.
  2. ^ a b c d Mccrone, John (20 July 2018). "National Portrait: Long apprenticeship of the minister with her hand on DOC". Stuff. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
  3. ^ "Meryl SAGE Obituary (2020)". Legacy.com. 25 November 2020. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
  4. ^ "Anthony SAGE Obituary (2019)". Legacy.com. 9 October 2019. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
  5. ^ Collins, Simon (11 August 2020). "Public v private: The old school tie network". NZ Herald. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
  6. ^ Sowman-Lund, Stewart (14 March 2023). "What jobs did our MPs do before they were in parliament?". The Spinoff. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
  7. ^ "1970s Craccum editor Louise Chunn: what generation gap?". The University of Auckland. 16 May 2022. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
  8. ^ a b c d e f Howison, Sarah (5 February 2001). "Grasshopper greenie Eugenie Sage". The Press. p. 26 – via ProQuest.
  9. ^ "Graduate Search". The University of Canterbury. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
  10. ^ "Eugenie Sage". Environment Canterbury Regional Council. 24 July 2011. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 4 January 2011.
  11. ^ "Environmentalists criticise dairying". Daily News. New Plymouth. 5 April 2001. p. 18.
  12. ^ "2007 Election results announcement". Environment Canterbury Regional Council. 17 October 2007. Archived from the original on 14 December 2011. Retrieved 9 November 2020.
  13. ^ a b Gorman, Paul (15 October 2007). "Water fears change ECan, Woods out". The Press. p. A3 – via ProQuest.
  14. ^ "Challenge ahead". The Press. 15 October 2007. p. A10 – via ProQuest.
  15. ^ Eleven, Beck (27 October 2007). "Burke wins tight contest to lead council". The Press. p. A4 – via ProQuest.
  16. ^ Gorman, Paul (25 September 2009). "Deputy's switch defeats Burke, puts Neill in job". The Press. p. A3 – via ProQuest.
  17. ^ "Environment Canterbury Council Committees". Scoop News. 26 March 2024. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
  18. ^ "Attack on possums continues". The Press. 17 April 2009. p. A6 – via ProQuest.
  19. ^ "Help sought to oust goats". The Press. 10 October 2009. p. A13 – via ProQuest.
  20. ^ Gorman, Paul (10 February 2009). "Dreaded weed at botanic garden". The Press. p. A5 – via ProQuest.
  21. ^ Smith, Nick (18 April 2010). "History will show ECan had to go". www.stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
  22. ^ "ECan report 'far worse' than expected". Stuff. 18 February 2010. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
  23. ^ "Investigation of the performance of Environment Canterbury under the Resource Management Act & Local Government Act". Ministry for the Environment. 1 February 2021. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
  24. ^ Gorman, Paul (27 February 2010). "Who killed ECan?". The Press. p. C2.
  25. ^ "Meeting of Environment Canterbury commissioners". Environment Canterbury Regional Council. 30 April 2010. Archived from the original on 17 June 2011. Retrieved 3 January 2011.
  26. ^ "Selwyn-Waihora Zone community members". Environment Canterbury Regional Council. 7 October 2010. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 4 January 2011.
  27. ^ "Green Party ranks its candidates". The Press. New Zealand Press Association. 29 May 2011. Archived from the original on 24 October 2012. Retrieved 4 July 2011.
  28. ^ a b "Maiden Speech Eugenie Sage, Green MP". Scoop News. 15 February 2012. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
  29. ^ Mathewson, Nicole; Stylianou, Georgina; Fulton, Tim (20 September 2014). "Labour's Dyson keeps Port Hills". The Press. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 23 September 2014.
  30. ^ "Official Count Results – Successful Candidates". Electoral Commission. 10 October 2014. Archived from the original on 13 January 2015. Retrieved 9 November 2020.
  31. ^ a b c "Eugenie Sage". New Zealand Parliament. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
  32. ^ "Port Hills – Official Result". Electoral Commission. Archived from the original on 16 January 2020. Retrieved 9 November 2020.
  33. ^ "2017 General Election – Official Result Successful Candidates". Electoral Commission. Archived from the original on 10 June 2020. Retrieved 9 November 2020.
  34. ^ "Ministerial list". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Retrieved 26 October 2017.
  35. ^ a b c Lewis, Oliver. "Yes, minister: Eugenie Sage on getting things done". businessdesk.co.nz. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  36. ^ "Blanket ban: No more single-use plastic bags after July". NZ Herald. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  37. ^ "NZ Minister for Women cycles to hospital to give birth". The Sydney Morning Herald. 19 August 2018. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
  38. ^ Tso, Matthew (10 August 2020). "Government launches long-term biodiversity strategy to bring Kiwis closer to nature". Stuff. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  39. ^ Mitchell, Charlie (27 April 2021). "Fish & Game seen as an 'old boys' club', rife with governance problems, review finds". Stuff. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  40. ^ Cook, Marjorie (1 December 2021). "Chairman keen for council to continue modernising". Otago Daily Times Online News. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  41. ^ Hartley, Simon (26 September 2018). "'Search and destroy' tahr cull criticised". Otago Daily Times Online News. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  42. ^ "Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage discusses tahr cull". RNZ. 2 October 2018. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  43. ^ Vance, Andrea (30 July 2020). "Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage gets death threats over tahr cull". Stuff. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  44. ^ Teodoro, Sue (12 July 2023). "Departing Green MP Eugenie Sage reflects on time in Beehive". RNZ. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
  45. ^ a b c Vance, Andrea (15 October 2022). "Labour's mining stance bittersweet for the Greens, but a taste of victory for Te Pāti Māori". Stuff. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  46. ^ a b "Fourteen new mines on conservation land". Newsroom. 2 March 2020. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  47. ^ "Green MP Eugenie Sage accused of 'rubber-stamping' land sales to foreigners". RNZ. 13 November 2018. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  48. ^ "PM says Eugenie Sage's ministerial Land Information portfolio is safe". NZ Herald. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  49. ^ Evans, Gavin. "Status of split decisions may figure in overseas investment regime review – Sage". businessdesk.co.nz. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  50. ^ "2020 General Election and Referendums – Official Result Successful Candidates". Electoral Commission. Retrieved 6 November 2020.
  51. ^ "Banks Peninsula – Official Result". Electoral Commission. 6 November 2020. Retrieved 6 November 2020.
  52. ^ "Greens accept Labour's offer for 'cooperation agreement'". RNZ. 31 October 2020. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  53. ^ "Labour and Greens to make cooperation agreement official". RNZ. 1 November 2020. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  54. ^ "Retention of the title "The Honourable"". New Zealand Gazette. 10 November 2020. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
  55. ^ "Crown Minerals (Prohibition of Mining) Amendment Bill – New Zealand Parliament". www.parliament.nz. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  56. ^ "No new mines on conservation land signalled". The Beehive. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  57. ^ "Speech from the Throne". The Beehive. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  58. ^ "Public views to be sought on 'no new mines on conservation land' policy implementation". The Beehive. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  59. ^ "Govt to block Green bill banning mining on conservation land". NZ Herald. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  60. ^ "House". New Zealand Parliament. 7 November 2017. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
  61. ^ Moir, Jo (29 November 2022). "The chaos behind the Greens' controversial Three Waters amendment". Newsroom. Archived from the original on 28 November 2022. Retrieved 4 December 2022.
  62. ^ "Three waters: Law Society urges Nanaia Mahuta to remove entrenchment provision". Radio New Zealand. 3 December 2022. Archived from the original on 4 December 2022. Retrieved 4 December 2022.
  63. ^ "Three Waters backdown: Government pulls entrenchment clause". The New Zealand Herald. 4 December 2022. Archived from the original on 4 December 2022. Retrieved 4 December 2022.
  64. ^ "Three Waters bill passes final hurdle, but loses Greens support". 1 News. TVNZ. 8 December 2022. Archived from the original on 12 December 2022. Retrieved 20 December 2022.
  65. ^ Manch, Thomas (8 December 2022). "Labour alone in support of Three Waters bill as it passes into law". Stuff. Archived from the original on 13 December 2022. Retrieved 20 December 2022.
  66. ^ "Green MP Eugenie Sage to retire". Radio New Zealand. 21 December 2022. Archived from the original on 28 December 2022. Retrieved 26 December 2022.
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Political offices
Preceded by Minister of Conservation
2017–2020 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister for Land Information
2017–2020 		Succeeded by
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