10. Te Ārai Beach—Access and Public ConsultationTRACEY MARTIN (NZ First) to the Minister of FinanceTe Ārai Beach—Access and Public Consultation10. TRACEY MARTIN (NZ First) to the Minister of Finance: Why did he refuse to allow public consultation regarding access to Te Ārai Beach in line with his responsibilities under the Crown Forest Assets Act 1989?Hon STEVEN JOYCE (Minister of Finance): The member mischaracterises the situation a little in this matter in her question. It was not a case of refusing to allow for public consultation. The Act is quite clear and in this case required that the responsible Ministers consider whether the change significantly affected the public access easement. Having reviewed the easement proposal I am satisfied that it does not and in fact that it improves public access to Te Ārai Beach.Tracey Martin: What advice has he received regarding section 27(1)(b) of the Crown Forest Assets Act 1989 where interpretation requires the responsible Minister to accept submissions from any person or organisation not less than 40 working days after a published notice in a principal metropolitan newspaper in circumstances where an easement is cancelled?Hon STEVEN JOYCE: I did receive advice in terms of how to respond to the application and I did consider the submissions that were made. It is important to note that the land is iwi-owned land with a public access easement on it on to Te Ārai Beach. The iwi sought a change to the current easement to allow for a larger public carpark near the beach and that necessitated a realignment of part of the public access way by around 25 metres. To be clear public access is still guaranteed and in fact improved with the access way increased in width from 8 metres to 58 metres for the first 800 metres and from 8 metres to 20 metres for the remaining 220 metres.Tracey Martin: Is the Minister aware that his Treasury has confirmed in written statements that There is a small section of the existing easement"—that is the public access—"that is to be cancelled"; if so how does he justify his refusal in his letter dated 7 February 2017 to allow public consultation on the public access to Te Ārai Beach?Mr SPEAKER: There are two supplementary questions there—the Hon Steven Joyce.Hon STEVEN JOYCE: In answer to the second part of the question because it was quite clear that the responsible Minister's test was to consider whether the change significantly affects the public access easement. I reviewed the easement proposal and I am satisfied that it does not and in fact it improves public access to the beach.Tracey Martin: When will his Government put the rights of New Zealanders to public access to their coastline and to public consultation first before the whims of mega-rich foreign buyers or does the fact that members of Cabinet play golf on this exclusive club somehow give dispensation?Hon STEVEN JOYCE: Dear oh dear the member is well wide of the mark here. It is important to note that this change actually enhances the access. I went through it earlier for the member; I am happy to take her through it again. I considered it carefully. I considered the submissions and made a decision. I appreciate that in many cases the member and her party are against any form of development but it is important that actually the Ministers follow the Act.Tracey Martin: I seek leave to table a letter from the Minister dated 7 February 2017 to the New Zealand Fairy Tern Charitable Trust and Te Arai Beach Preservation Society where he outlines the reason that he has declined public consultation.Mr SPEAKER: Can I just clarify the date of that letter?Tracey Martin: It is 7 February 2017.Mr SPEAKER: Leave is sought to table that particular letter. Is there any objection? There is none. It can be tabled.Document by leave laid on the Table of the House."