19 Sep 2008

DoC splashes out on new unit months after cutting 60 jobs

7:28 am on 19 September 2008

The Department of Conservation is spending more than $3 million to staff its new marketing and communications unit, just months after it axed 60 jobs to save money.

Figures obtained by Radio New Zealand under the Official Information Act show DoC's new marketing and communictions unit is spending over $3.5 million on salaries for 45 staff in the unit.

DoC says the unit's functions are far broader than marketing and communciations and include staff to manage its relationships with other organisations, international relations and ministerial services.

But the National Party's conservation spokesperson Nick Smith says the figures suggest DoC has lost the plot.

"Only this year it disbanded the Marine Conservation Unit and laid off long established and top international scientists in the Year of Oceans Conservation and yet they have set up a new marketing and communications unit," he says.