Matt Kean, the new NSW Minister for Energy and Environment, has kicked off his role by inspecting the impact of feral horses on the Kosciuszko National Park and promising to expand the national park estate where possible.

His visit, though, coincided with the release of analysis by Rob Dick, who headed the state's national parkland acquisition program from 1996-2012. It showed the creation of new parks all but dried up during the past eight years of the Coalition government.

Matt Kean, NSW's new energy and environment minister (left), chose Kosciusko National Park as the first stop on his 'statewide listening tour'. Credit:Facebook

"National Parks are an important part of our great state, not just because they host millions of visitors every year, but also because they provide critical habitats for our native wildlife," Mr Kean told the Sun-Herald.

"I’ll be looking for more opportunities to increase the national parks estate as Environment Minister because I want to hand the next generation a planet that is in a better state than the one we inherited.”