Criticism for environmental book

The State Services Commissioner has chided the Environment Ministry over a $125,000 book that has been slated as an expensive piece of puffery.

The 80-page book, described in the foreword as the "parting gift to New Zealand" of the ministry's retiring Australian chief executive Barry Carbon, is aimed at prompting discussion about environmental issues.

But National MP Nick Smith, who complained to the State Services Commissioner Mark Prebble, said the book highlighted a culture of "waste, spin and egotism within the senior public service".

Dr Prebble acknowledged that the foreword was inappropriate but did not agree that the book was an inappropriate use of taxpayer money.