11. Question No. 11—ConservationSARAH DOWIE (National—Invercargill) to the Minister of ConservationQuestion No. 11—Conservation11. SARAH DOWIE (National—Invercargill) to the Minister of Conservation: Does she agree with the statement on pest control by the Minister for Regional Economic Development that the reality is that there's a strong case from the environmental movement for the continued utilisation of 1080"?Hon DAVID PARKER (Minister for the Environment) on behalf of the Minister of Conservation: Yes.Sarah Dowie: Is there also a strong case for "efficient and much more cost-effective methods of pest control" such as investing into breakthrough biotechnology?Hon DAVID PARKER: The two are not mutually exclusive. We do have to deal with the technology that we currently have available. For example this year is a mast year; that means that there's a lot more food for rats possums and stoats. When that food runs out unless they're knocked over by 1080 they kill all our birds. So whilst there is a need for more science as to alternatives and also better trapping techniques we do need to use 1080.Sarah Dowie: Why has she prevented the Department of Conservation from investigating this technology in New Zealand when officials have said that "It could be an effective alternative to 1080."?Hon DAVID PARKER: The Minister of Conservation isn't responsible for the operation of the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act (HSNO Act) in respect of GM technologies. The Minister took the decision that the Department of Conservation (DOC) should be spending its money on predator control. The research arm of Government is not through DOC.Angie Warren-Clark: Where does responsibility for research into genetic engineering and other predator control methods sit and can we sit back and wait for alternatives?Hon DAVID PARKER: Responsibility for this is led by the Biological Heritage National Science Challenge. Gene technologies are not prohibited by law but they're regulated under the HSNO Act. That is dealt with under a precautionary principle which is what The Economist actually recently recommended in respect of gene editing technologies more generally. And no we can't await new technologies. We actually need to deal with the exigencies of today.Sarah Dowie: Is she therefore prepared to use breakthrough technology to make New Zealand predator-free?Hon DAVID PARKER: The breakthrough technologies have not yet been invented anywhere in the world. New Zealand is a world leader in the development of predator control technologies including advanced trapping automatic traps that reset themselves and send a signal via satellite to be emptied once they're full of pests.Hon Gerry Brownlee: That's just empty rubbish. They've been shut down.Hon DAVID PARKER: Mr Brownlee is wrong.Sarah Dowie: Is her decision making rooted in evidence-based policy or is she being blinded by ideology?Hon DAVID PARKER: In response to the first part of the question yes.Hon Simon Bridges: When the Minister referenced the HSNO Act given that Minister Sage instructed Predator Free New Zealand that it could not use GE technologies was she acting in contravention of that Act?Hon DAVID PARKER: No and as I said previously the science challenge is where research into alternative methods of predator control are investigated."