Eugenie loves Canterbury’s big skies, its braided rivers, and the mountains of Kā Tiritiri o te Moana/the Southern Alps, which form the spine of Te Wāipounamu/the South Island. She grew up looking at Rangitoto and spent her first 25 years in Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland, where she studied law and history at Auckland University before moving south to study journalism at Canterbury University.

Prior to becoming a Green MP in 2011, and then Minister of Conservation, Land Information and Associate Minister for the Environment (waste) during the Green’s first term in Government from 2017-2020, Eugenie was an elected Regional Councillor with Environment Canterbury. She also worked for Forest & Bird for 13 years, campaigning to protect Tai Poutini/West Coast beech and rimu forests and the South Island high country. She is proud to have been made a Distinguished Life Member by Forest & Bird, and values the huge amount of practical conservation work volunteers do around the country.

Eugenie’s passion for nature and a healthy environment continue to drive her work. As a Green MP and Minister, she advocated for the health of Papatūānuku to be at the heart of our economic response to COVID-19. She played an instrumental role in securing the $1.3 billion Jobs for Nature package to help support people who have lost their jobs; helping DOC rebuild with the largest increase in conservation funding in 16 years; the release of Te Mana o Te Taiao - the Aotearoa New Zealand Biodiversity Strategy; refocusing DOC on nature protection and recreation instead of tourism, and prioritising a commitment to implementing the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi in the management of conservation lands and waters.

As Associate Minister (2017-2020) Eugenie has also led a huge work programme to turn around New Zealand’s rubbish record on waste, including banning single-use plastic bags; designing a container return scheme for beverage containers; expanding and increasing the levy on waste going to landfill; and committing New Zealand to establishing mandatory product stewardship schemes to deal with problem products such as tyres and electronic waste at the end of their life.

"I love being in Parliament, the People’s House. It’s a privilege to be part of the Green team and work with individuals and communities across Aotearoa/ New Zealand to help protect our climate, create more space for nature and push for change to build a fairer society."


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