we work towards a circular economy. I've got four seconds left. So I'm
not going to get to it.
Thank you.
Thank you. I call Sarah Dowie. Thank
you, Mr Chair. It is a delight,
privilege and pleasure to rise as the new
Opposition Spokesperson for
Conservation and make a
contribution in this appropriation debate. It is
also a pleasure because during
my time I get to acknowledge the track
record in in conservation that the
previous
record in in conservation that the
with respect to seeking results in the conservation portfolio and
engaging the public and
createing opportunity for all New Zealanders
in this space. I would
firstly like to take the opportunity
to congratulate and thank the Hon
Maggie Barrie who was
the Minister of
Maggie Barrie who was the Minister
Minister of Conservation in the previous government who was
a champion of conservation
but a champion of the botany of our
plants. In New Zealand some of
our threatened plants don't
necessarily get a fair hearing with respect
to conservation. It's usually the
fluffy, furry animals that get most
of the attention with
regard eradication and of course our birds
tend to get a lot of attention. But
she certainly championed the war on
weeds and she advocated for
the department to spend more time with
respect to eradicating weeds
and championships our ecosystem
and the of it in its entirety. I thank
the Hon Maggie Barry in doing
that and bringing a new
perspective to conservation. But of course
under the previous government's watch, we
had aspirational targets and
aspirational initiatives that
certainly will bring about
tangible results, as I say, for all New
Zealanders. Of course, one of those
initiatives
Zealanders. Of course, one of those
million to seek out partnerships with the community, with businesses,
to help eradicate of course
rats and possums.
to help eradicate of course rats and possums. The main aim is to reduce
the threats on our native wildlife.
This has other tangible benefits
such as
such as providing better economic return for agriculture and forestry,
so looking at New Zealand
as a whole, but creating opportunities
for regional development. Certainly,
as the MP for Invercargill,
that area encompasses many smaller
communities that abutt the
national park. That is certainly important to
allow our communities to touch
and feel conservation and
understand first hand the value of
conservation and what it can bring to
their community, to their families, to
help them earn a living and
that inspires healthy nature,
healthy people, which was another initiative
under the conservation space.
people, which was another initiative under the conservation space. Again,
if we can understand the benefits
of conservation, we can invest
appropriately and see the wonderful
benefits that it brings.
appropriately and see the wonderful benefits that it brings. The
other thing I would like to praise the
Dept of Conservation for which was
initiated under the previous
to involve the community. I've touched on that with respect
to
engage with the community on
but to engage with communities to get children, families,
and seniors involved in conservation. And
not only with respect to the community
or businesses, but to
form partnerships with other
government departments to bring
about benefits moving forward.
departments to bring about benefits moving forward. Is one of
those is with the Dept of Corrections. In my
area the formation of a
partnership between the Dept of Corrections and
between the Dept of Corrections and of conservation to bring a
programme where offenders learn the skills of
building and renovating to pull
together a building
to showcase their work and allow the
community to visit and see first hand
again the benefits of conservation. The
with regards to conservation is second to none. We should be
praising. I call the Hon
David Parker. Thank you, Mr Chairman.
Responding to the last speaker,
and the record of the last government
on conservation, I'm always a bit wary
about loaded terms like
Sounds to me like operation enduring freedom.
freedom.