Peeling back the green veneer of NZ environmental policy has finally seen the light of day. This is particularly the case in coastal marine policy, and is the focus of my recently published Full Report on ocean governance in the country (see: http://igps.victoria.ac.nz/publications/publications/show/336). The green brand represents a double-edged sword: the country can live up to the brand or suffer the consequences when the brand is exposed by the international community. True leadership and political will is needed today in central government to move in a more sustainable direction with respect to how the country uses and protects its precious coastal marine ecosystems. Dr. Michael V. McGinnis, PhD