Simpson Scott; Parker DavidHon SCOTT SIMPSON (National—Coromandel): Thank you Mr Chair. I think the select committee chair has accurately and fulsomely summed up the Estimates hearings. One Minister we didn't hear from was the Associate Minister for the Environment. She did however come and brief us subsequently on her delegated responsibilities for waste and waste minimisation which we certainly appreciated and it was a good opportunity to hear from the Associate Minister. So thank you very much for having done that Minister.One of the questions that I don't think was properly answered at the Estimates hearing by the Minister sitting in the chair relates to a commitment a very clear and concise commitment in the Speech from the Throne. And when quizzed about it at the select committee I don't think the Minister gave it an adequate answer. So I'm hoping that he will be able to give a more fulsome and detailed analysis tonight. I quote from the Speech from the Throne where it says amongst other things Commercial users who profit from bottling water and exporting it overseas will pay a royalty." Clearly that hasn't happened. There has been no implementation of such a royalty and I'm hoping the Minister can now give us a more detailed explanation than he was able to do at select committee.Hon DAVID PARKER (Minister for the Environment): I'm happy to essentially say what I said at select committee which is that concerns about exported water in bottles which is amongst the most pristine water in our country don't really relate to environmental effects. The quantities are small and the effects on the environment are less adverse than many other abstractions of water for other uses. But the concerns for New Zealanders really relate to whether it's fair that that water should be exported overseas without any financial return to New Zealanders with the use of that water. I explained to the committee that there are pros and cons in proceeding with a levy on bottled water without looking at wider issues relating to water including whether you might create problems in the Crown Māori relationship dealing with that particular aspect of water allocation in advance of others.Hon SCOTT SIMPSON (National—Coromandel): Thank you Mr Chair. Sadly that was no more fulsome in terms of an explanation than the Minister did give at select committee. So I guess we'll keep asking questions about that in other forums.Another issue that arose at the select committee was a discussion around elite soils and urban development and the decision that the Minister has taken to make some changes in regard to that. When it was put to the Minister in the select committee that there had been a commitment to remove the Auckland urban boundary the report from the select committee says "The Minister did not accept that suggestion but said the Government was 'relaxing it'."Now since that hearing I've had an opportunity to go back again and check very carefully the exact wording that was in the Speech from the Throne and the Speech from the Throne says: "This Government will remove the Auckland urban growth boundary." It's emphatic; there is no hint of anything other than that being a firm and very committed promise. And I want to know from the Minister why his Government hasn't taken any steps to remove the Auckland urban growth boundary as promised in the Speech from the Throne."