Smith NickHon Dr NICK SMITH (National—Nelson): Thank you Madam Deputy Speaker. It's a pleasure to take a call on the Conservation (Indigenous Freshwater Fish) Amendment Bill that National is supporting to select committee. We're a party of practical environmentalists and conservationists and so firstly we support the view of the Government that our indigenous fish are the next sensible order of priority in terms of New Zealand's indigenous species. We're actually very proud of our record in Government in turning around a number of species that were on the road to extinction. For instance our Battle for our Birds saw the numbers of takahē in our period in Government more than double despite the fact that they had been in constant decline for the previous 20 years. I note my passionate colleague about conservation Sarah Dowie—I'm sure she's delighted with the efforts of her own constituents around the recovery of the kākāpō and the brilliant work that has been done in that regard. When we look in the North Island at the efforts of our Government to recover a really precious bird—my favourite bird the kōkako in terms of its call—again we've seen those numbers switch. Then I want to acknowledge my colleague Maggie Barry who launched a tremendous campaign around the country a War on Weeds and a real focus on plants. Nobody would be surprised that Maggie Barry with her experience and passion for plants through her long experience with the garden show made a real focus of protecting those plants that are special to New Zealand. And so it is a logical progression having worked on the birds having worked on the plants to put this focus on our indigenous freshwater fish. I do want to challenge members opposite who were keen to make disparaging comments about National's record on fresh water. I would remind them that the very first National policy statement on fresh water was introduced by our Government. It makes specific mention of the importance of protecting our indigenous freshwater fish and it's particularly focused on the issue of sediment because I think anybody who was scientifically focused on this issue would realise that the management of sediment is actually at the core of us giving our indigenous fish a better chance of survival.I'd also note that when the previous National Government passed the national Environmental Reporting Act that required our collective Government agencies to produce a comprehensive state of the environment report it did give credit in saying that in areas like birds and plants we were doing well but did highlight the fact that we were going backwards on indigenous fish and I see this additional focus being a logical response to that.The areas where National does want to scrutinise this bill quite heavily are the extent of the regulation-making powers because we are a party that wants to ensure that the environmental measures are practical for people like our farming communities and those that are passionate about whitebaiting. I have a father-in-law who is absolutely passionate about his whitebaiting. He'll be out there in the rivers of Golden Bay right now collecting a worth and I confess to getting a dividend from that. This bill is going to make changes to whitebaiting and I'd say that every New Zealander who has an interest in whitebaiting will be wanting to ensure that the extra regulatory powers that we are giving to the Department of Conservation around those freshwater fisheries regulations ensure that our whitebaiting communities are actually going to be consulted and engaged. We all want to enjoy a good feed of whitebait but we equally have a duty to ensure our grandchildren in a hundred years' time will be able to enjoy a good feed of whitebait.The last point I would make is in respect of the practical issues for our farming communities in the regulation-making powers around allowing access for Government officials on to farmers' land. Again they are provisions that we want to scrutinise in the select committee stage to ensure that in finding that balance between protecting that which makes New Zealand special we are also respectful of private property rights and the practical job that our farmers have from Kaitāia to Bluff in managing their properties as we go about this challenge. So I commend the Minister for bringing the bill to the House and look forward to the serious engagement at the select committee to ensure that we get the detail right.