8. Question No. 8—ConservationHon TODD McCLAY (National—Rotorua) to the Minister of ConservationQuestion No. 8—Conservation8. Hon TODD McCLAY (National—Rotorua) to the Minister of Conservation: Will she postpone the cull of tahr announced to commence this weekend until a more sustainable plan has been developed and consulted on with hunter groups and the Game Animal Council?Hon EUGENIE SAGE (Minister of Conservation): The Himalayan Tahr Control Plan was approved by a former conservation Minister. Consultation took around two years. I will not postpone control work because unlike the previous Government that allowed tahr numbers to explode I'm committed to protecting our indigenous plants particularly our alpine plants and working with responsible hunting stakeholders to do that. The Department of Conservation (DOC) is not carrying out any tahr control work before the next meeting of the tahr liaison group. An operational plan will be confirmed after that meeting.Hon Todd McClay: When she said in question time yesterday that further discussions were to take place with stakeholders does she not realise this will be pointless if her mass cull goes ahead this weekend to start the slaughter of up to 25000 tahr?Hon EUGENIE SAGE: The member is obviously not listening. The department is proposing to control 10000 animals. Could I remind the member of what the former Minister of Conservation the Hon Denis Marshall said If there were no tahr in New Zealand I would not support their introduction into the wild." If it was possible eradication would be the preferred option but it's not currently possible. Once again the National Party is flip-flopping from being concerned about indigenous ecosystems to protecting hunters.Rt Hon Winston Peters: Can I ask the Minister as to whether this tweet is true that the Minister is arming DOC rangers and chartering helicopters and the cull starts this weekend? Is that National Party tweet true or false?Hon EUGENIE SAGE: There will be control by air but there is a further—Hon Members: Ha ha!SPEAKER: Order! Order! The balance of this reply will be heard in silence.Hon EUGENIE SAGE: I am meeting with a Professional Hunting Guides Association representative this afternoon. The Tahr Liaison Group is meeting next week. An operational plan will be finalised after that meeting.Hon Todd McClay: Why has she instructed the Department of Conservation to cull bull tahr against the advice of representatives on her Tahr Liaison Group and tourism operators that this will cost the industry tens of millions of dollars?Hon EUGENIE SAGE: We are having to control bull tahr because the former National Government through its neglect through its underfunding of conservation through its failure to control a ballooning tahr population means that we need to step in now and address that neglect. The tahr population is estimated at 35000—more than double what the plan approved under a former National Government allows.Hon Todd McClay: Is the real reason she's climbed down from her decision yesterday to push ahead with a mass cull of tahr this weekend because the Department of Conservation has advised her that she hasn't properly consulted with recreational hunters tourism groups or the Game Animal Council?Hon EUGENIE SAGE: No. It is not a mass cull of tahr; it is a controlled operation by the department of 10000 operators. All of the hunting interests that I have spoken to recognise that tahr numbers are too high and need to come down.Hon Todd McClay: Is the real reason that the Minister has climbed down from her mass cull of tahr announced in the House yesterday because ammunition importers who don't support her decision won't sell DOC the ammunition that they need?Hon EUGENIE SAGE: I have not climbed down; the control operation will proceed after further discussion with stakeholders.Hon Todd McClay: I ask again: given that more than 20000 people have expressed their concern over her plan to cull up to 25000 tahr originally starting this weekend until proper consultation has taken place—SPEAKER: Get to the question please.Hon Todd McClay: —will she postpone this until proper consultation has taken place or at least until the Department of Conservation has enough bullets?Hon EUGENIE SAGE: The member exaggerates. The department is proposing to control 10000 tahr. It's working with stakeholders to see what they can contribute. It needs to be done this summer before the tahr population explodes further. This Government is interested in protecting our alpine landscapes not sitting on the side of an invasive species like tahr."