Korako Nuk: Estimates Debate — In CommitteeText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeKorako Nuk: Estimates Debate — In Committee[Sitting date: 28 July 2015. Volume:707;Page:5376. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]NUK KORAKO (National):Tēnā koe e te Kaiwhakahaere. Ā koutou rā te Pāti Rōpū Reipa Ngā Kākāriki Aotearoa Tuatahi me ngā Kahurangi he mihi tēnei ki a koutou katoa.[Thank you Mr Chair. To you the Labour Party the Greens New Zealand First and the Blues I acknowledge you all.]I would like to take a short call in the estimates debate around the environment sector. From listening to the different views from both sides of the House indeed the glass on this side of the House is half full or over half full and on the other side unfortunately it is empty or half empty.I just want to also acknowledge the last speaker my colleague Todd Muller who talked particularly about the relationships that have been developed and fostered particularly over the last three terms of this Government. I particularly want to acknowledge Lou Sanson as well because when we look at the work that he has done particularly with iwi mana whenua and tangata whenua there has not been a time ever during the history of the Department of Conservation when iwi relationships have been so high. That is a true reflection of the way that the Department of Conservation acknowledges Te Ao Māori the world of the Māori and particularly because the other part of it is a whakataukī or an interesting proverb that goes “Whatungarongaro he tangata toitū he whenua”. What that means is that people move on but the land remains. That is really the basis around true partnership and relationships when we talk about the environment.There is one part of the estimates vote that I would just like concentrate on and it particularly concerns the Minister of Conservation but that is not to forget the other two Ministers Minister Groser particularly with climate change and Minister Smith as well for the environment. The Minister of Conservation appeared before the Local Government and Environment Committee to update us around the programmes to tackle kauri die-back. I want to just really concentrate on this because some years ago I spent some time working in tourism up in Northland—particularly up in Waipoua working with the iwi of Te Uri o Hau which is an iwi that operates right inside the Waipoua Forest—and also working with Footprints Waipoua which does tours particularly to Tāne Māhuta and really tells this incredible story around the spirituality of Waipoua.While I was there I really did gain an appreciation for how much of a taoka or treasure kauri are to tangata whenua of the Tai Tokerau but also to all New Zealanders. In the area sometimes referred to as the Kauri Coast kauri contributes to a growing tourist industry as well. I had the opportunity when I was up there in Northland at the beginning of the year to visit the Kauri Museum at Matakohe. That also demonstrated the really important part that kauri plays in the local economy.I just want to say that it is fascinating when you look at those people who work on this kauri die-back programme because it really reflects the partnership that the Department of Conservation has developed with them. You do have these individuals you have conservationists you have iwi and then you have the Department of Conservation working together. So when we look at this—when the Minister came to the committee she expressed the frustration that I think we all feel that we do not know enough about the invisible killer of the kauri. What we do know is that the pathogen is carried through the soil and that it is easily spread from place to place on our shoes and by visitors.