think Mr Clark can justify whether, in
those words. That is his business. INTERRUPTION
INTERRUPTION Question No.
My
My question is to the Minister
he believe that New Zealand has robust
Yes,
Yes, I do. This Government has placed a huge
focus on biosecurity, and overall funding is now at
a
year. Even if we completely close the borders,
the borders, biosecurity would not be
to incursions is an expected part of our
strongly increasing passenger and cargo volumes. Does
strongly increasing passenger and cargo volumes. Does his belief
that New Zealand has robust biosecurity
and border processes extend to the
import health
and border processes extend to the import health standards for
bovine semen and embryos
import health standards for bovine
document and, indeed, there is an investigation undenNay to try and
to New Zealand. I would prefer not to
to speculate. Iwould preferthat the investigation is allowed to
get on with the
good job that I'm sure it will do. How does his belief
that New Zealand has
robust biosecurity, border processes
border processes and border health standards square
standards square with mycoplasma bovis,
bovis, myrtle rust being found almost
almost exclusively in nurseries and weevil and velvet leaf being
found in beds that
were certified
biosecurity system. To do with myrtle rust, this is win born. New
Zealand First seemed to think that
a passenger
Zealand First seemed to think that a
New Zealand First seemed to think a passenger had brought it in but if
you look
you look at the wind models, there are
are six wind events this year with a very
very high probability that myrtle rust
rust has been carried across the Tasman and reached New Zealand.
supplementary question. How
supplementary question. How does he
reconcile his belief in New Zealand's row burst border security
processes with is fact
there have been over
been over 150 biosecurity incursions since the election in 2008.
Mushroom compost with animal
since the election in 2008. Mushroom compost with animal manure being
imported into New
Zealand and now mud being
was delighted in Budget 2017 that
further strengthen the biosecurity system.
system. That will allow us to improve
want to get serious about biosecurity
biosecurity they will need to front up to farmers and wool
sheds and cow sheds
sheds up and down the country and talk
talk to farmers about why they didn't vote for the
border clearance
funding. That is a huge embarrassment
embarrassment for them. Supplementary
Supplementary question. How can biosecurity be robust
when not one New Zealand airport has
animal identification and tracing scheme for tracking livestock
movements is only now
being initiated
initiated ten days after the incurse was
initiated ten days after the incurse
to refer to the investments that this
this Government has made, just in recent
recent times, to do with the biosecurity
biosecurity system, I just want to remind
biosecurity system, I just want to
staff, 20 new dog detector teams, new
can do more at the border. The border clearance
border clearance levy, which means we have more funding. With increased
tourism numbers we have
more funding to
to do more and provide more services on the border. We are doing a huge
amount. We have 14
Government industry
industry agreements where
industry has signed up and is partnering
partnering with the Government on preparedness
preparedness and response. There is a
a huge amount happening and I am actually very proud of the fact that
this Government has
achieved a huge amount in terms
of strengthening the overall biosecurity system.
amount in terms of strengthening the overall
My
My question is to the Minister for
What announcements has she made on
on support for cultural facilities through
through the Regional Culture
In
In the last couple
had the privilege of announcing more
supporting projects if Whangarei, Hastings and fox on the from the
RCHF with
RCHF with more to come. Most