Patterson MarkGENERAL DEBATEMARK PATTERSON (NZ First): I move That the House take note of miscellaneous business. It is great news as we've just heard from the Deputy Prime Minister. You won't be hearing it from the National Party but it's great times down on the farm and yesterday's announcement from Fonterra lifting their forecast payouts and another $450 million going into regional economies throughout New Zealand. And of course in my sector the red meat sector—knocking it out of the park as well—unprecedented prices lamb at $9 a kilo and even old cull ewes selling at six bucks a kilo. We've got a $10 billion sector. This is an unprecedented mix in my time of a low dollar low interest rates and strong markets underpinned by some new trade deals that as we heard from Kirk Hope on the weekend—those of us that were there at the New Zealand First conference—some of those trade deals are really starting to pay off for New Zealand. Imagine the sort of money that Ian McKelvie the owner of half the North Island will be making under these or even landed gentry like David Bennett—SPEAKER: Order! The member will resume his seat quite a few other members will be quiet and I will—and this is a relatively new member but one is not allowed to bring members' private circumstances into the debate. MARK PATTERSON: So it is to be acknowledged these are times of change. This is an inflection point for agriculture as we look to get long-term sustainable management and adjust to those challenges. And remember as we get to addressing our Paris climate obligations—and remember who signed us up for that it was that great eco-warrior Paula Bennett. There seems to have been a case of collective amnesia over the other side of the House. But we are not going to spray and walk away; we are going to address those issues.On the freshwater packages they are wide-ranging packages and I have been travelling up and down the length of the country meeting with farmers attending meetings—in fact the Hon Ron Mark and myself one on one with a farming couple on the West Coast trying to work through the magnitude of these packages. We do acknowledge there are some concerns but there is genuine intent from the farming community to do their bit and New Zealand First will be looking to the constructive feedback that they bring.Who else has been out there? Well Todd Muller's been out there. We've seen Todd Muller and by the look of him—I hope Todd you're all right I see your arm in a sling. Obviously National Party leadership contests are getting more torrid by the minute. But he's ditched his Hugo Boss suits and his Gucci shoes and he's put on his moleskins and bought a pair of Red Bands and out he goes catastrophising spreading fear and hoping that farmers forget that he is one of the executives highly paid that steered the good ship Fonterra towards the rocks—and Nicola Willis we're looking at you too.But this is the time for leadership not followers and Todd Muller is following; he is not leading. We need great leaders like Sir Peter Elworthy of the 1980s and we have got those leaders emerging. One of those leaders is Rick Burke. Now Rick Burke you might ask? He is the chairman of a 3000-member group called Farmers for Positive Change. Now they're the sort of farmers that you see on Country Calendar and the farm environment awards. They are the leaders of catchment groups around the country. This is what he has said in the country just the other day: National should be supporting the key components of the Essential Freshwater proposal. They along with the [previous] Labour Government [should] admit they got it wrong overshooting the mark in pursuit of [pure] economics." That is coming from our emerging farming leaders.So we must get alongside the Rick Burkes of this world and we must look to other farming leaders that are looking for constructive suggestions. In New Zealand First we'll be assessing their submissions and looking for pragmatic and workable solutions. The reason why New Zealand farmers are the best in the world is that they have adapted and innovated over 150 years and with the right assistance they will once again rise to this challenge. Thank you Mr Speaker."