Smith Nick: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Smith Nick: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:636;Page:6838] 
4.  
Hon Dr NICK SMITH (National—Nelson) 
 to the  
Minister of Conservation 
: What steps is the Department of Conservation taking if any to support the task of “managing DoC areas in a way to offset the effects of climate change” and of “doing something to mitigate the effects of climate change” as stated by Alastair Morrison Director-General of Conservation on 16 November 2006? 
Hon CHRIS CARTER (Minister of Conservation) 
: 
 The Department of Conservation manages one-third of our land mass and could make a significant contribution by adopting land management practices that extract carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store it in permanent vegetation. Work is under way to identify how best we can do this. 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: How can such statements on climate change be taken seriously when his department has now been sitting on an application for 18 months by Bay of Plenty Electricity for a hydroelectric station that would require only 0.7 of a hectare and when every month this renewable energy project is delayed equates to another 3000 tonnes of carbon into the atmosphere? 
Hon CHRIS CARTER 
: I can report that the Kaituna dam project which is the one I assume that member is referring to has been in a process that has to be worked through in the area but I can say that some good news is very close on that project. 
Steve Chadwick 
: What contribution do initial assessments suggest the Department of Conservation could make to achieve carbon neutrality? 
Hon CHRIS CARTER 
: It could make a very significant contribution. For example—based on initial figures—if the Department of Conservation were to commence intensified pest control in the public conservation estate next year it would offset between 20 million and 40 million tonnes of carbon by the end of 2012. There is also significant potential benefit from native reforestation programmes and from encouraging regeneration on degraded parts of the conservation estate. 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: Why when his department’s statement of intent sets a target of 6 months for processing concessions has it already taken 18 months to consider a consent for only 0.7 of a hectare and noting that all of the resource management processes come afterwards and are on top of that does this sound like his department is taking urgent action on climate change? 
Hon CHRIS CARTER 
: One of the things I think all New Zealanders are proud of is our beautiful natural environment. Protecting that environment is a very important task of the Department of Conservation. I remind the House of my earlier answer that good news might be on the way on the Kaituna project. 
Jeanette Fitzsimons 
: I seek the leave of the House to table a list of all the National Party speeches on climate change listed on its website for the last 18 months—a total of one. I also seek leave to table the speeches on climate change listed on the Green Party website in the last 18 months—a total of 23. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought. Is there any objection? There is objection. 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: Does the Minister consider it consistent with the Government’s talk of transformation of the economy and urgent action on climate change for his department to take 2 years to process a 0.7 hectare consent that would provide renewable power for 10000 households? 
Hon CHRIS CARTER 
: It has now grown from 14 months to 2 years. I guess that is another example of how the member can inflate issues. The member and his party have all the zeal of a recent convert. Let us hope their conversion is genuine. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: I do not think that addressed the question. Could the Minister please address the question. 
Hon CHRIS CARTER 
: The House will be confused as to whether we are talking about 14 months or 24 months. I can say that working through any proposal to build an energy project on conservation land which belongs to all of the people of New Zealand is a very important question and needs to be looked at carefully. I remind the House again that a decision on the Kaituna project is very imminent. 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: I seek the leave of the House to table the timetable for the consideration of the Kaituna hydro scheme which has taken 18 months to date— 
Hon CHRIS CARTER 
: Oh—ha ha! 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Look everybody is on their final warning while points of order are being taken. They are to be heard in silence. Would the member please continue. 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: Indeed—I will raise the point of order again. I seek leave to table the timetable for the Kaituna hydro scheme which shows that to date it has taken 18 months and the letter to applicants from the Department of Conservation showing that it is expected to take a further 6 months. 
Document not tabled. 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: Supplementary Madam Speaker? 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Supplementary? May I just remind members that it is the normal convention to table documents at the end of the question. 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: It might have helped if you had reminded Jeanette Fitzsimons— 
Madam SPEAKER 
: The reminder goes to everybody. 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: Can the Minister explain his decision to reject the Dobson hydro project in 2002 on the West Coast which would have produced sufficient renewable energy to offset 1 million tonnes of carbon dioxide; and given the commitment from the director-general to ensure that all Department of Conservation actions are climate-friendly will this decision be reconsidered? 
Hon CHRIS CARTER 
: Clearly the member is not aware—but he should be—that the Dobson dam project is going ahead. It is now going ahead with some of its worst environmental effects mitigated. Everyone seems to be happy with the project now; Dr Smith just does not seem to be up with the play. 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: Is the Minister aware of Statistics New Zealand figures released today which show that in the year to September we had the lowest proportion ever of power produced from wind and hydro sources; and given this figure and the doubling of New Zealand’s greenhouse gas emissions from the electricity sector will his department now consider the implications of climate change when considering applications for wind and hydro stations on Department of Conservation land—will it consider those factors in future applications? 
Hon CHRIS CARTER 
: The role of the Department of Conservation is to be the guardian of the conservation estate for future generations of New Zealanders. I remind the House that Project West Wind at Makara was approved by the department; Project Aqua was approved by the department; and Genesis’ Tongariro hydro expansion was approved by the department. Why does the member continue to try to create an image that the Department of Conservation is a block to renewable energy projects? The department looks at each case on its merits.