think you will get away with a whole lot because you have the relief
teacher, but you won't!
lot because you have the relief teacher, but you won't! Question
No. 4.
My
My question is to the Minister for the
My question is to the Minister
with the Prime Minister's Chief Science
Science Advisor that some of the country's waterways have
gone beyond a tipping
of the country's waterways have gone
Yes,
Yes, there are water bodies like Lake Forsyth in Canterbury,
that have reached a
tipping point that makes their registration very
challenging, but none
have crossed that point during this
Government's term. I was advised in 2008 that
three significant water bodies
had a risk of crossing tipping points in
the next decade
risk of crossing tipping points in
the Bay of Plenty, the lagoon in the south of Canterbury and the Waituna
lagoon in Southland. This
Government's successful intervention in all three of those has
resulted in that risk being
averted and marked improvements
marked improvements in the water quality being achieved. Is
the current intensive farming
model exacerbating poor water
current intensive farming model
is not as simplistic as Professor Gluxman's report concludes, that
simply intensification
simply intensification automatically results in water
quality deterioration. For instance,
like those that have occurred with the Central Plains,
can actually result in water quality improvements
and
and increased agricultural production.
and increased agricultural production. Does he
think it's reasonable to continue to allow
agricultural intensification when
Sir Peter's report
shows that the effects of that farming now will
still be felt in 100 years
or more, meaning future generations are left
to foot the bill and fix the problem
firstly incorrect in simply concentrating on agriculture. The
member shows a blind spot
in that the report shows
our most polluted areas are actually in urban
environments and that's where this
Government's approach is
that both urban and rural New Zealanders need
to lift
to lift their game around water quality.
quality. As Minister for the Environment will he advocate
on behalf of Aotearoa's
waterways and ensuring their protection
by calling for the Government to move away
from their intensive
for the Government to move away from
Government has introduced the first national policy statement and
limits on nutrients, on ammonia, and has
seen over
on nutrients, on ammonia, and has
were none when we became the Government
were none when we became the
intensification. But where we differ from the Green Party is that
a complete freeze on the growth of
agriculture is not
a sensible approach to this
issue, and there are many water
development schemes that can deliver both
water quality improvements and
improvements and jobs for rural communities.
improvements and jobs for rural communities. Will he act urgently
improvements and jobs for rural communities. Will he act urgently,
so that other rivers aren't pushed
beyond their tipping point
by putting a moratorium on new
dairy conversions,
conversions, advocating for higher value
conversions, advocating for higher
agriculture, and putting rivers first
agriculture, and putting rivers first, not
agriculture, and putting rivers
Government has increased the level of funding for
Government has increased the level
million, the fact that you see lakes like Lake Rotuiti, that
deteriorated significantly
significantly under the last Government but have
improved enormously under this Government,
if we look in terms of sensible water
storage programmes, whether they be
Central Plains, whether they be
the Lee scheme in my own area, shows
that this Government is capable of
delivering improved water quality
as well as increased Primary
Production exports. Oh dear. What new
measures will he take on
exports. Oh dear. What new measures will he take on the issue
of nitrateings and the impact
of cow numbers and
numbers and dairy conversions, if any, as a result of this
We are the first Government to nationally put in place limits on
nutrients such as nitrates and
phosphates.
nutrients such as nitrates and
when Mr Parmar was in Government, there was not a
single catchment in New Zealand in which you required
a resource consent
resource consent for intensification. That is now
true for 18 catchments in New Zealand.
We're publicly
We're publicly consulting on specific title limits
on nitrates, I also point out our Government is
putting in place
national regulations for
regulations for getting stock out of our
regulations for getting stock out of
previous government never did and something that they voted against in
parliament last week. Point
of order. I seek leave to table the
Lake Taupo nutrient limit that
put in place under the prior government by
government by Judge Skelton,
member seems to have made his point in seeking to sabl,
member seems to have made his point
see no point in putting the leave.
Order! No, there's a point of order, I'm just calling a point of order
from Catherine Delahunty. The
Minister gave a very full
answer but did not address what new
measures he would do as a result of the report.
Government is doing, or say they're doing, but what are they
going to do as a result of this new report. The
member may ask the question again.
What new measures will he take
on the issue of nitrates and the impact
of cow numbers and
dairy conversions, if any, as a
result of
currently consulting on its clean water paper that
specifically tightens the limits around nitrates
and also provides for the first
national regulations on ensuring
that we get our
stock out of our rivers and lakes.
that we get our stock out of our rivers and lakes. Question No. 5.
My
My question is to the Minister
about what regions the new 880 police
about what regions the new 880
Sorry,
Sorry, sir. Mr
Police Commissioner announced that where