7. Question No. 7—AgricultureTODD MULLER (National—Bay of Plenty) to the Minister of AgricultureQuestion No. 7—Agriculture7. TODD MULLER (National—Bay of Plenty) to the Minister of Agriculture: Does he stand by all his statements policies and actions?Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR (Minister of Agriculture): Yes. We are proud to promote the opportunities and future for sectors of our economy that are essential that are sustainable and that are exciting. We believe there are huge opportunities for great careers across agribusiness and we reject the constant negative portrayal of agriculture by the National Party.Todd Muller: What did he mean when he said on Q+A last week that the cost to farmers of meeting the Government's proposed new water policy will be 1 to 2 percent—1 to 2 percent of what?Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR: My estimate was based on my personal experience and talking with farmers. It was a guesstimate. I understand that there will be many farmers that will not have to incur any cost because in fact they are way ahead of the National Party and the last Government—they are way ahead of what has to be done—but there will be other farmers that will have to spend more because they have not received the signals yet that New Zealanders want better-quality water higher-quality animal welfare standards and better animal traceability and that we're trying to help them and encourage them to get up to that higher standard.Todd Muller: Point of order.SPEAKER: No we're not having a point of order. What we're going to do is tell the Minister he addressed a question very well but it wasn't the one that was asked. I think the key word was what"—1 to 2 percent of what?Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR: The 1 to 2 percent is of gross revenue in my estimation.Todd Muller: What did he mean when he said in that same interview that these costs "will need to be absorbed by farming operations"?Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR: If that member had spent any time farming he might understand that most of the costs of operation of farming are in fact absorbed by the farmers. They are not in a position to simply shift on their costs. That reality is well understood by this Government. Maybe that member should pick up on it too.Todd Muller: At what farming meeting then did you sit listen and hear farmers say that they would be able to absorb these costs?Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR: I have many many meetings up and down this country. I get out on the farm quite often. That member has probably spent too much time behind a desk at Fonterra to get out and learn what farmers actually want.Kieran McAnulty: Does he stand by his statement that a hands-off "she'll be right" approach to agriculture policy does not serve the best interests of farmers and rural communities?Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR: I consider that that would be about as productive as standing behind a cow in a herringbone cowshed when she wants to relieve herself. It's better that we take a proactive stance than the previous hands-off laissez-faire do-nothing approach of the previous National Government.Todd Muller: Got to watch for the tail twitch. How did these proposed environmental changes and associated costs get through his and the Government's rural-proofing process?Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR: I can assure this House and the farmers of New Zealand that all these proposals have been thoroughly discussed by numerous Ministers by officials from the Ministry for the Environment and the Ministry for Primary Industries by farming leaders' groups and by people up and down this country who support the direction of this Government in trying to improve our waterways lift animal welfare standards and ensure that we do commit to climate change agreements that were committed to in 1997 but ignored by the previous Government. We're going to assist the farmers get into a better place where they get more for what they do—not simply ask them to do more which is what the National Government did while in Government.Todd Muller: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. Did that address the specific question about his rural-proofing process?SPEAKER: I think mixed amongst it there was an addressing yes. Todd Muller: Oh you've got to look hard—OK very good.SPEAKER: One sifts."