Ardern Shane: Financial Review Debate — In Committee 
Ardern Shane: Financial Review Debate — In Committee 
[Volume:671;Page:17486] 
SHANE ARDERN (National—Taranaki - King Country) 
: 
 It is a pleasure to rise and speak on the report of the Primary Production Committee on the financial review of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. A number of things have happened in the agricultural sector over the last 2 years but the establishment of the Primary Growth Partnership is probably right at the front of the list of important announcements and initiatives that have taken place under the very capable leadership of the Hon David Carter. The partnership involves an investment of $140 million a year with industry-promoted innovation. It is wonderful to see for the first time in many many years investment being put back into science research and development in the agricultural sector. 
One of the things that Labour could never understand when it was in Government—and never does understand whenever it is in Government—was the fact that the economy of New Zealand is basically driven by primary production. I know that some members opposite hate that concept some struggle with it and some wish to change it but after many many years of their meddling cutting adjusting criticising and attacking they have failed to do so. In 2011 we are still in a situation where the low-hanging fruit as far as growing the New Zealand economy is concerned will come and are coming from our primary industries. Getting up and running an organisation with the horsepower of the Primary Growth Partnership and investing once again in technology systems environmental protections and all of the things that will enhance our primary production sector as we go forward is a wonderful development and a wonderful initiative. 
The establishment of the Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases with an investment of $45 million is the most significant single thing that has happened in terms of our looking at what we can do to minimise the agricultural footprint of New Zealand. One of the ironies I guess of the debate in that area which is generally driven by our opponents on the other side is the idea that we need to tax the primary sector. 
New Zealand’s primary production system has one of the lowest carbon footprints of any production system in the world. That has been proven by research undertaken by both of our major agricultural research universities—Lincoln University and Massey University. The Opposition wants to tax that sector or reduce production thereby increasing production in the systems elsewhere in the world that would have to produce that food which in turn would lead only to higher carbon emissions. The alliance is a wonderful development and it was led by this Government. We were one of the very first Governments to get in behind it. It is a great thing to see. 
Improving water management is one of the key drivers that will lift our productive systems in the agriculture sector. It provides such a huge opportunity for us particularly on the eastern belt of New Zealand. A lot of attention has been paid to Canterbury recently for a range of reasons but when we look right along the eastern belt of New Zealand we see highly productive land that is suitable for a range of different production systems and not only for development in the dairy industry as a lot of people would say. When water was made available in Marlborough it was not dairy cows that went on to the land; it was grapes. I will not stand here and try to forecast what might happen if those opportunities were made available in other areas but potentially there is an enormous opportunity there for us. Investment and leadership in that area are essential as we go forward and it is happening under the National-led Government. 
The animal welfare issue never goes away and it is always a very sensitive and emotive topic. We have made a significant investment of $8.2 million in that area. We have provided more officers than in the whole 9 years of the previous Government.