Rob Campbell says sackings about co-governance, not LinkedIn posts – 1News

Rob Campbell says his dismissal from two public roles this week was not about his social media posts but the Government distancing itself from co-governance.It comes as Environment Minister David Parker announced Campbell had been sacked from his role as chairman of the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) following Campbell’s comments on social media that criticised National’s newly-announced water infrastructure policy.On Tuesday evening Campbell was also fired by Health Minister Ayesha Verrall from his role as Te Whatu Ora (Health NZ) chairman.In his roles, Campbell was subject to a code of conduct which includes provisions around public service impartiality.Speaking to 1News on Thursday afternoon, Campbell said he was “disappointed” to also lose the EPA role and in his view the Government had an “unduly repressive interpretation” of the code of conduct and had not followed “due process or natural justice” in the way it had handled the issue.”This is not about a post on LinkedIn or the code of conduct. The issue here is that the Government wants to be seen to be tough.”He said the Government was most concerned with – and distancing itself from – co-governance issues, and in his view the two disagreements he’d had with each minister
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