van de Molen TimTIM VAN DE MOLEN (National—Waikato): Thank you Madam Speaker. This bill is an absolute disgrace. It is hugely disappointing to see the support it's achieved on the other side of the House. The Minister Sage in her first contribution tonight mentioned that nothing here is intended to impact farming. That just shows how totally disconnected this Green Party is. They have no concept of what farming entails—the activities you undertake in normal farming operations and the difficulties that those farmers face. It is a disgrace that they would suggest this bill will not impact on their ability.Then to see the Minister of Agriculture stand up and back that up just shows how disconnected he is as well. Quite frankly I am hugely disappointed in that. He said that farming will continue to prosper that farming matters; they're doing great. It's easy to say words but you can't talk your way out of something you've acted your way into. This Government have acted their way into a position of absolute mistrust with the farming community. They have no respect for them. They don't value their contribution to our economy and they are out to grab that land back here and to get rid of farming out of New Zealand. It's a disgrace. I've said that; I'll keep saying it because quite frankly I'm outraged that they would put forward a bill like this before this Parliament with such total disregard for our rural communities.Hon Eugenie Sage: Have you read the bill?TIM VAN DE MOLEN: I have read the bill Minister and there are a couple of points that I'll highlight for you within there. So when we look at Schedule 2—and I'm glad the Minister's asked me about this actually because Schedule 2 outlines what is a permitted activity and what is a discretionary activity. A couple of the permitted activities: all earthworks—well that's appropriate on farming. There's always a range of earthworks activities undertaken. All earthworks sowing of seed or top-dressing—those are all good standard farming activities. Planting pasture or crops you're putting some fertiliser on. So earthworks sowing of seed or top-dressing—that's a permitted activity provided it's within the existing curtilage of dwellings.So I'm not sure how many farmers I've spoken to about this but I don't know too many farmers that top-dress their house or their garden or that carry out extensive earthworks beside their shed. Those are the only criteria in which you can carry out those tasks. Otherwise on the rest of the farm where you actually do those tasks they are a discretionary activity under this bill. It just shows the total disconnect and to see the Minister of Agriculture stand up and say This is a good bill that won't impact on farming activities." when any farmer is going to have to go cap in hand asking for consent to plant some pasture to plant a crop to disturb the soil for the construction of a small building—which actually they won't need consent for now under 30 square metres. Removing of any exotic timber—there are a range of factors here that are standard farming activities that are no longer permitted under this. They will require a consent. That is totally out of touch to try and farm by consent. It is impractical and totally unworkable.Farmers are great stewards of the land and this is a fundamental difference in opinion in this Parliament. We understand that farmers care for their land because that is fundamental to them having a successful business. Without that focus on maintaining and growing your asset—i.e. the land and you know crops and whatever else—animals—you're growing—you will not have a successful business. So to suggest that farming is destroying our countryside as we've heard numerous times from the Green Party and we've seen no opposition to that view from New Zealand First here tonight either is hugely disappointing. They could have kicked this to touch right here. Yet we are seeing a continued focus a disregard for farming activities. Farmers across the country but particularly down there—it's a beautiful landscape. The majesty of the place—it's incredible country. To suggest that farmers go out there and just pillage it is totally disrespectful to them.Hon Eugenie Sage: No one suggested that.TIM VAN DE MOLEN: The Minister's trying to say "Oh no. We're not doing that. Oh we care about farmers." Well actually your bill here disagrees with those comments. So to stand up and say lovely things and then try and push this through is quite frankly deceitful.This fortunately is not being proposed for a shortened report-back so we will see this come back before the next Parliament. As Mr Carter said New Zealand First won't be here to support it; it'll get kicked to touch. We will be absolutely working with the farming community. I hope that every farmer involved down there—and actually farmers across the country—see this for the absolute injustice that it is and make a submission against it. We will be fighting hard for the rights of those landowners and opposing this bill. It is simply outrageous that the Government will put this forward and the National Party cannot support it."