Conservation Minister Nick Smith today announced that the Department of Conservation is to be rebranded as the Ministry of Conversation.
"We anticipate that this move will align more closely with NZ Tourism's 100% Pure slogan and MoBIE's mission statement of I'd Sell That for a Dollar," said Nick Smith.
"Consultant reports already show synergies arising from crossover marketing, such as 'Don't leave town til you've seen the sponsored content' and 'Frack the Waitomo Caves'."
The minister was upfront about the need for the rebrand. "It's about doing more with less, and talk is cheap."
The rebrand is part of restructuring that has seen job losses in the sector. Staff numbers are expected to plunge further at MoC, as more services are transferred to a call centre in the UK, which is already contracted for the Crimestoppers line.
The Public Services Union has raised concerns about the new uniform, which features corporate logos prominently on the smock and paper hat. There is also disquiet at the term MoCkers, a derogatory term similar to Scab, already circulating to describe the remaining team members.
