Doocey MattMATT DOOCEY (National—Waimakariri): Just following on from the Hon Maggie Barry I thank her very much for that schooling in conservation. I feel like today and tonight that is exactly what we have had from all our Ministers who have spoken—a schooling in their specialist areas—and from the Associate Ministers as well. They have been offering their expertise their knowledge and their experience. That very much underpins this Estimates debate—the experience the knowledge and the expertise of the people at the top making the decisions on where we invest our money. That is exactly what we are doing with Vote Conservation and Vote Environment—deciding where we can invest our money get good returns and ultimately protect sustain and improve our conservation practices and our environment. It is fair to say when talking about environment and conservation—an old saying my mum used to say is that money does not grow on trees and I think actually as I get older I realise how right she was. So we should actually reflect that the reason we do have money to spend on Vote Conservation and Vote Environment is that we have strong management of our economy a growing country a growing economy and a Government that is shaping globalisation for the benefit of local people in New Zealand. That is why we can spend this hard-earned taxpayer money on protecting our environment. When we think about it it is actually our environment and our conservation that is intrinsic to being a New Zealander. I reflect that I was once backpacking through the Netherlands when I met some people in a backpackers' hostel. Like you normally do you talk about where you are from and someone said: Where are you from?". I said "Oh I am a Kiwi." and they said: "Oh why do you want to be named after a fruit?". That reminded me that not everyone thinks of a kiwi as being a bird. Ultimately the kiwi is the iconic bird of New Zealand and it is fantastic to see under this Budget that an extra $11.2 million is going into protecting the wild kiwi population. What we know is we have got a 2 percent annual decline and we are looking to turn that around to a 2 percent increase. We are aiming to have 100000 wild kiwi by 2030 up from 69000 currently. I am quite fortunate in Waimakariri that we have a conservation park called Willowbank which is doing some fantastic work with the kiwi and I do enjoy taking my young kids down to see the kiwi enclosure. So it is fantastic that we are looking to support the kiwi the iconic bird—as well as the kiwifruit I suppose—of New Zealand. I also want to touch on what I see as a very pragmatic Government—one that is always responsive in looking at how we can respond to the needs of our community. From this Budget I note that we are spending $4.75 million in operating funding as a result of the Christchurch Port Hills fires. Many will remember that several months ago those fires devastated the region of the Port Hills so it is fantastic that the Government is supporting the return of biodiversity in the Port Hills and the reforestation. The Port Hills is an important area for not only people in Christchurch but the whole of Canterbury as well and it is fantastic that that funding will go into supporting the biodiversity of the Port Hills and the reforestation there as well. Minister Baggy—Minister Maggie Barry. Sorry Minister—I was doing so well until then. I will take the shoe out of my mouth. The Minister so passionately talked about Predator Free 2050 and the enthusiasm that that has created with the local community. I know that there is funding of $300000 available for local community groups. I know that one group in my electorate Kaiapoi MenzShed is passionate about how it can get involved in that funding. It wants to build its own predator cages and to get out there and make a real difference for the environment and for conservation in the local area. Thank you. Votes agreed to."