James Palmer is the Secretary for the Environment (from 1 March 2023). Since 2017 he has been Chief Executive of the Hawke's Bay Regional Council, having previously served as the Council’s Group Manager Strategic Development, responsible for regional planning. During this time James has been involved in national policy development on freshwater and resource management reform, a member of the Forestry Ministerial Advisory Group and a board member of the Sustainable Seas and Deep South national science challenges. Prior to working at the Council, James was Deputy Secretary Sector Strategy at the Ministry for the Environment and Director Strategy at both the Ministry for Primary Industries and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry before that. Between 2005 and 2008 James served as Chief of Staff to the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries and Biosecurity, and was an advisor in the Labour-led government between 1999 and 2003, including on resource management, climate change and energy policy.