King Colin: Environment Canterbury (Temporary Commissioners and Improved Water Management) Bill — In Committee Third Reading 
King Colin: Environment Canterbury (Temporary Commissioners and Improved Water Management) Bill — In Committee Third Reading 
[Volume:661;Page:10094] 
COLIN KING (National—Kaikoura) 
: 
 It is a pleasure to speak in the third reading of the Environment Canterbury (Temporary Commissioners and Improved Water Management) Bill. I thank the officials and I also thank the 10 mayors of Canterbury. Sadly the Opposition does not understand the potential of water for Canterbury and for New Zealand. It is common sense to store water and to use it during the dry periods of summer. This conversation has been going on for 20 years. This bill is the first step on a journey to ensuring that we have a good regional water plan in Canterbury. 
The Hurunui River features in this bill because it is part of the Canterbury Water Management Strategy. It is not some conspiracy as the Opposition tries to lead members to believe. It is no secret that farmers within this region would like to be able to store water and to meet the needs of all the other stakeholders and the environment. I say to Opposition members that if they can do that then why should they not be able to? 
We have heard a lot of statements from members on the other side such as “Stop stealing our water.” I think it was Ruth Dyson who made that statement. Sadly it is that dog-in-the-manger attitude that has brought us to this impasse and we have to get past it. This bill is the light at the end of the tunnel. This Government is taking brave steps to be able to manage water and we will certainly make things work in a very positive way. 
The Minister in the chair the Minister for the Environment spoke about a step change. When we look at what has not happened over the last 20 years we see that there needed to be a Government that had great confidence. Gone are the days when we saw crocodile tears from the other side—rhetoric and no action. It is an indictment an absolute indictment on the Opposition that during its 9 years in Government it did nothing. So when we listen to the Greens talking about how the Government is running roughshod over the water conservation orders we can understand that in actual fact the Greens do not understand the importance of them. It has been mentioned many many times on this side of the House that Government members recognise the value of water so I make the point that this is not the end but the beginning. I extend the hand of collegiality to the Opposition and ask to put our differences aside. Let us manage water in a sustainable way and on a positive note. A vote for this bill is a vote for the Canterbury Water Management Strategy. A vote for this bill is a vote for better environmental management in Canterbury. A vote for this bill is a vote for the future prosperity of New Zealanders and a brighter future not only for Canterbury but for all New Zealanders. 
It gives me great pleasure to recommend the bill to the House in the sense that we have to work hard for the distant future. There is so much to be said and very important it comes from the point of view of being positive. When we talk about the vision that this Government has—we extend from the Waitaki to the Clarence River—and when we stop and think about the disregard for installations like wharves and harbour installations such as in Kaikoura we think of some of the sad things that occurred before the introduction of this bill. One of the very sad things that we witnessed was in the coastal management plan. Environment Canterbury had not recognised any of the installations of wharves or harbour in its coastal plan. On that basis it has shown its dysfunctionality and it is a real shameful situation to be in. But this Government has moved to introduce this bill and I must commend the Ministers for having the courage to do so. This is the light at the end of the tunnel for water storage in New Zealand. It is the start of a journey and I extend my hand of collegiality to the Ministers. I commend the bill to the House.