﻿Mr SPEAKER: Question No 7, Richard Prosser.
RICHARD PROSSER (NZ First) to the Minister for Primary Industries:
What further advice does he intend to provide to NZ farmers
on the Government’s ongoing response to the invasive pest plant
velvet leaf, otherwise known as China jute, butter print,
and Indian mallow?
Hon NATHAN GUY (Minister for Primary Industries):
The Ministry for Primary Industries is leading a nationally coordinated
approach to contain and reduce the geographical spread of this pest
and to move towards elimination where possible.
The focus of efforts is now on developing a long-term
management plan for velvet leaf. This will involve key stakeholders,
including local and regional councils as well as farmer groups.
The current advice to farmers who have planted fodder beet seed
this season is to check their crops and report any sightings
to the Ministry for Primary Industries. A comprehensive
farm management plan is now available.
Richard Prosser: What steps has the Minister taken to mitigate
the impact that this velvet leaf incursion is having on NZ’s ability
to export weed-free seed crops, which has already seen
a North Island farmer lose a multimillion-dollar export contract?
Hon NATHAN GUY: If the member had been listening,
he would have heard in the primary answer what we are doing
in terms of the response, in providing reliable information
through to farmers. What we have also been doing since we found
this issue here in NZ is we have got tough new inspections
at the border. We have actually banned four seed lines from coming in
from European countries. Import consignments now require sign-off
by one of the Ministry for Primary Industries’ two technical officers
before they can be released, and there is actually wider
laboratory testing. We are doing a lot about this issue.
Richard Prosser: Is the Minister aware of any link between
imported grains fed to poultry and the 21 Waikato properties
infested by velvet leaf that have never had suspect fodder beet
but that did apply poultry manure sourced from
poultry companies using imported grains?
Hon NATHAN GUY: The member should be aware that velvet leaf
was first known to be present in NZ in 1948. In regard
to his specific question, I am aware of the particular allegations.
The Ministry for Primary Industries did a thorough investigation in 2011,
and it is highly unlikely that it was the source of the Waikato incursion.
Richard Prosser: Will the Minister revise import standards
for animal feed grains that allow prohibited weed seeds to be present,
like the 176,000 tonnes imported in 2015 from countries with velvet leaf—
an increase of 72% on 2014 volumes?
Hon NATHAN GUY: The member would be aware that last year
there was an extra $27 million in Budget 2015 for biosecurity.
As a result of that, we have got more people working
on the front line and we are reviewing the import health standards.
We are doing an awful lot in this space, and I find it
a little bit hard to take the member at his word because yesterday
he was saying that possums are not actually a pest at all
and that he thinks the chilled-meat deal to China
is not a good one. I am not sure that this member realises
the importance of the primary sector to the NZ economy.
Richard Prosser: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker.
I seek leave to table a Waikato Regional Council
situation report dated 6 May, outlining the current state
of velvet leaf incursion.
Mr SPEAKER: Where did the member source the document from?
Richard Prosser: It is from the Waikato Regional Council.
It is an internal document.
Mr SPEAKER: Is it off its website?
Richard Prosser: No, it is an internal document.
Mr SPEAKER: I will put the leave. Leave is sought to table
the Waikato District Council report. Is there any objection?
There is none. It can be tabled.
Question No 8.
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