Heatley Phil: Climate Change (Emissions Trading and Renewable Preference) Bill — In Committee 
Heatley Phil: Climate Change (Emissions Trading and Renewable Preference) Bill — In Committee 
[Volume:649;Page:18151] 
PHIL HEATLEY (National—Whangarei) 
: 
 I would like to raise an issue of particular interest to me. It concerns the fishing industry—an industry that is our fifth-largest exporter and has been for many many years now. The Government has singled it out. The Government has decided that it will focus on—and penalise—that industry more than it has focused on other industries. I find that very very surprising indeed. 
I do not know whether the Committee is aware that the fishing industry exports over 90 percent of what it catches and processes. In other words it is a successful industry that is boosting New Zealand in terms of the world economy and bringing returns back to this country. It exports well over 90 percent of what it catches and processes and it earns $1.3 billion per annum. As it evolves more and more into an industry of added value that sum is increasing every single year. 
For some reason the Labour Government has decided to pick on the fishing industry. Initially it cut that industry no slack at all when it came to the emissions trading scheme but we have a recent announcement that the Government will cover 50 percent of its carbon credits going forward up to the 2018 date. 
R Doug Woolerton 
: That’s good. 
PHIL HEATLEY 
: Well Mr Woolerton might think it is good and I know that he is a very very close friend of a few individuals in the fishing industry—we know that because we read it in the  
Dominion Post 
—but we have an issue here— 
Rodney Hide 
: He doesn’t declare it though! 
PHIL HEATLEY 
: He does not declare his very very good friendship with them! We in this House are well aware—and Doug Woolerton would be too if he focused on others—that the steel industry in New Zealand will have 90 percent of its credits grandfathered covered over or accounted for by the Government. The aluminium industry which is overseas owned will have 90 percent of its credits covered by the Government. The cement industry which is largely foreign-owned also will have 90 percent of its credits covered by the Government. But the fishing industry—which is New Zealand - owned and our fifth-largest exporter and which exports 90 percent of what it catches and processes—will be covered for only 50 percent; not 90 percent like the steel industry not 90 percent like the aluminium industry nor 90 percent like the cement industry but only 50 percent. In fact agriculture gets a much better deal than the fishing industry does. Agriculture is also covered for 90 percent of its credits. The fishing industry the fifth-largest exporter will be covered for only 50 percent. And that came in only in the very late stages of the development of this legislation. I do not know whether Minister Parker had forgotten about the fishing industry and its contribution over many many years. But the Government came up with 50 percent cover which falls well short of the 90 percent cover that we see for those other industries. 
We understand—and it has not been disputed—that we are looking at a total sum of about $20 million per annum and that the Government is looking at covering $10 million per annum. If there were a level playing field if the fishing industry were treated in the same way as agriculture cement aluminium and steel the Government would cover $18 million and the cost to the industry would be $2 million. But no with no explanation at all the Government has singled out the fishing industry and decided to penalise it much more than it penalises other industries. 
In terms of emissions the fishing industry is all about fuel consumption because fishing vessels going to sea churn through an awful lot of diesel. We acknowledge that; there are emissions problems within the industry and of course it is seeking to reduce its emissions because obviously it wants to reduce fuel costs per catch. But the Government is saying to the fishing industry that it is not valued in the same way as the steel aluminium cement or agricultural industries are valued.