Norman Russel William: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Norman Russel William: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:674;Page:20176] 
9. 
Dr RUSSEL NORMAN (Co-Leader—Green) 
 to the  
Minister for the Environment 
: Does he agree with the Cawthron Institute that despite his Government’s National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management “the condition of New Zealand’s lakes rivers and wetlands is likely to continue to decline for several more years and possibly much longer”’ if not why not? 
Hon Dr WAYNE MAPP (Minister of Defence) 
 on behalf of the Minister for the Environment: No. The report makes the incorrect assumption that regional councils will be too slow in acting on the new national policy statement to improve water quality. The experience last month since the national policy statement took effect is that regional councils are taking the requirement to step up their management of fresh water very seriously. There has previously been no national direction for regional councils to improve water quality. Although some have criticised the policy as being too tough and others as being too soft all of them have welcomed at least some clear direction from the Government on water quality. 
Dr Russel Norman 
: Is the Cawthron Institute wrong when it says his Government’s own irrigation subsidies—the possibly $400 million of irrigation subsidies the Government has talked about—are likely to result in further intensification of land use and further decline in our lakes rivers and wetlands? 
Hon Dr WAYNE MAPP 
: The Cawthron Institute report is one of opinion; it is not actually a scientific survey. In fact no irrigation schemes will be eligible for Government funding unless environmental planning conditions are met which include in fact the national policy statement as well. The Government has in fact increased its spending on waterways by 500 percent over the last 3 years. For instance in the 5-year period commencing in 2009 $94 million will be spent compared with $16 million in the previous 5 years. 
Dr Russel Norman 
: Does the Minister think it is a paradox that on the one hand his Government is increasing spending dramatically to clean up the mess created by earlier intensive agriculture projects and on the other hand it plans to subsidise hundreds of thousands of hectares of new intensive irrigation projects that will increase water pollution? On the one hand the Government is spending money to clean it up and on the other hand it is spending money to create it. 
Hon Dr WAYNE MAPP 
: I think the member may not have heard the previous answer. No new irrigation schemes will be eligible for a Government subsidy unless they have a plan to deal with the potential increased runoff. That is one of the conditions of such a subsidy. 
Dr Russel Norman 
: Will the Minister therefore provide a guarantee that not a single dollar will be paid in irrigation subsidies without a guarantee that there will be no negative downstream environmental effects on water quality? 
Hon Dr WAYNE MAPP 
: Obviously in any such application all the factors of the risks will be properly assessed on a scientific basis—unlike this particular report which is in essence a matter of opinion. 
Dr Russel Norman 
: I seek leave to table the Cawthron Institute report  
Implications of the National Policy Statement on Freshwater Management  
which was released in June 2011. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection? There is no objection. 
Document by leave laid on the Table of the House. 
Dr Russel Norman 
: I seek leave to table a statement by Professor David Hamilton debunking the Yale report on water quality which has repeatedly been used by the Minister from this year. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Is this a personal letter or is it a— 
Dr Russel Norman 
: It is a media statement by Professor David Hamilton. It is not otherwise publicly available. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: It has not been published in the New Zealand media? 
Dr Russel Norman 
: No. That is correct. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection? There is no objection. 
Document by leave laid on the Table of the House. 
Dr Russel Norman 
: I seek leave to table four documents so I will do them as one block. These are from water scientists in New Zealand all of which raise concerns about the National Policy Statement on Freshwater Management. They are published by the Science Media Centre. They are from Professor David Hamilton Dr Mike Joy Professor Jenny Webster-Brown and Angus McIntosh a professor at the University of Canterbury. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table those documents. Is there any objection? There is no objection. 
Documents by leave laid on the Table of the House. 
Brendon Burns 
: Will the Minister confirm that whereas the Land and Water Forum he established to consider the National Policy Statement on Freshwater Management made just four modest changes to the board of inquiry’s version he allowed Cabinet to insert 19 more changes none of them protecting the environment for which he holds the ministerial warrant? 
Hon Dr WAYNE MAPP 
: Cabinet took a balanced approach to this. It balanced obviously the need to improve water quality with the need to improve growth.