Power Simon: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members 
Power Simon: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members 
[Volume:620;Page:16092] 
8.  
SIMON POWER (National—Rangitikei) 
 to the  
Minister of Conservation 
: Was he advised by his department that the proposed Te Arawa lakes settlement would require an exception to the Crown’s settlement principles; if so why is the Government proceeding to make this exception? 
Hon CHRIS CARTER (Minister of Conservation) 
: 
 Yes. My department had initial concerns about the impact of the settlement on the autonomy of local authorities. As I said in my reply yesterday the concern has been addressed in the current deed of settlement in agreement with the relevant local government authorities. 
Simon Power 
: Why did he state in a letter to the Minister in charge of Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations that he was not “persuaded that settlement negotiations are the appropriate forum to address regulatory reform” and is this not evidence that the Te Arawa proposal is about contemporary resource management issues and not a grievance of the type that a treaty settlement process is supposed to deal with? 
Hon CHRIS CARTER 
: As I said in my initial answer we did raise concerns at the beginning of this process. Negotiations over a settlement are an ongoing process. We have moved on and addressed those issues. 
Steve Chadwick 
: Does the Minister have any concerns about the Te Arawa settlement and its impact on conservation? 
Hon CHRIS CARTER 
: None whatsoever. I believe that a partnership between Te Arawa the Rotorua District Council and Environment Bay of Plenty with support from Government agencies including my own department will ensure the best possible future management of the Rotorua lakes. The public interest in the lakes is protected and we are likely to see a significant improvement in the health of the lakes’ ecosystem. 
Hon Ken Shirley 
: Can and will the Minister explain his Government’s transfer of the iconic Rotorua lakes out of public ownership to meet iwi claims while simultaneously insisting that the coastal foreshore and seabed be held exclusively in public ownership in spite of iwi claims? 
Hon CHRIS CARTER 
: My responsibility as Minister of Conservation is to be an advocate for the biodiversity and conservation values of the lakes. I am confident they will be better addressed after the settlement. 
Hon Ken Shirley 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. My question was quite specific. I asked the Minister to explain the apparent contradiction between the foreshore and seabed issue and the Rotorua lakes issue. He made no attempt at all to answer that question. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I thought he did attempt to answer that question. It might not have been answered in the way the member wanted but he certainly did address the question. 
Simon Power 
: Does he agree with his officials’ advice in relation to the Te Arawa lakes settlement offer that they “do not support contemporary resource management issues being addressed in the context of a historical treaty settlement”; and does not this advice simply show that the whole Te Arawa proposal is unsuitable as a historical treaty settlement? 
Hon CHRIS CARTER 
: As I have said twice already we have moved on in the negotiations. But I would like to quote the words of the Mayor of Rotorua Grahame Hall: “The people of Rotorua don’t deserve to be the butt of political posturing that was more about rating well in the polls than ensuring a positive and harmonious future for our residents.” Mr Hall was talking about Don Brash. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I just advise the member whom I am about to call that it is not appropriate to call out “Yes or no?”. Ministers will answer in the way they address the question. 
Simon Power 
: Why did the Government not accept the Minister’s advice and that of his officials that the Te Arawa proposal is about contemporary resource management issues and is not a historical treaty grievance settlement; and is that not evidence of how politically motivated this Government’s treaty settlement process has become? 
Hon CHRIS CARTER 
: As we have already explained we have moved on in the negotiations. [ 
Interruption 
] If the member is so concerned about the recognition of Maori ownership of lake beds how does he explain National’s agreement to recognise iwi ownership of Lake Taupo and Lake Ellesmere? 
Gerry Brownlee 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I would be interested to know how you could consider that the Minister had addressed this question adequately. The question went right to the heart of the policy decision that the Government has overturned in the case of the Department of Conservation’s advice to the Minister in charge of Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations. I would have thought that it would be quite an easy matter for the Minister just to say that his advice had not been accepted because the Government had decided to go ahead with a certain course of action or perhaps to explain how his advice has been taken by the Government in the context of the settlement. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: As far as I am concerned the member has offered how he would have answered the question. The Minister gave his answer and it addressed the question. 
Simon Power 
: I seek leave to table a letter from Chris Carter to the Hon Margaret Wilson regarding the Te Arawa lakes settlement in which he stated that he was not currently “persuaded that settlement negotiations are the appropriate forum to address regulatory reform”. 
Document by leave laid on the Table of the House.