Tizard Judith: General Debate 
Tizard Judith: General Debate 
[Volume:625;Page:20484] 
Hon JUDITH TIZARD (Minister of Consumer Affairs) 
: 
 As the member of Parliament for Auckland Central I am delighted to take a call in the general debate to talk about what is really the issue today. It is the fact that the Government has responded thoroughly and well to an appalling attack on our integrity and our economy. This Government has taken very seriously the appalling suggestion which we believe is a hoax that there has been a deliberate release of foot-and-mouth on Waiheke Island. 
I assure the House and New Zealand that Waiheke people take this threat very very seriously. I compliment the Waiheke Community Board chairman Ray Ericson and the deputy chair Kelly-Ann Harvey for the work they have done today with the Auckland City Council and the people of Waiheke to make sure that good information is out and that people on Waiheke are absolutely clear about what the concern is. We will not know definitely until the person who has written this letter either comes forward or is discovered or until the tests come back clear—we all hope and pray—on Friday or Saturday. 
People on Waiheke Island do take biosecurity very very seriously. They already welcome the fact that their area is permanently controlled for possums—and there are no possums on Waiheke Island. There are significant farms on Waiheke Island. People on the island will cooperate with the Government with the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and with biosecurity officials on this matter. 
I am appalled to hear the Leader of the Opposition accuse the Prime Minister’s statement of scaremongering. It was not scaremongering. We are really clear that there are about 20 foot-and-mouth calls per year. People call about suspect symptoms in stock and we check it out. I am really glad that everyone in New Zealand knows that a foot-and-mouth outbreak would be a risk to the $15 billion to $20 billion export industry and I agree that every responsible New Zealander not just farmers has to be on the lookout. I agree with the head of Meat and Wool New Zealand Jeff Grant who says that he does not believe that the virus has been released but that the Government has been prudent in activating the disease management response. 
I agree with Annabel Young that Don Brash is an absolute disgrace to New Zealand when he says that this is scaremongering. Well it is scaremongering and as the MP for Auckland Central I am really proud to say that the people of Waiheke will take the matter seriously and do take it seriously just as this Government does. Wild pigs are the big problem in the spread of foot-and-mouth disease and there are not that many pigs are on Waiheke. We do not want this disease to be spread in New Zealand. This Government has been responsible not only by warning our trading partners but by warning the people of Waiheke and New Zealand. 
This situation shows the appalling lack of leadership in the National Party. The once-great party that said it was the party of farmers has stooped to making political scaremongering accusations which is political scaremongering itself. If Don Brash cannot be the leader of the National Party he should stand aside as so many of his back-benchers and actually so many of his front-benchers—let alone so many of his former colleagues—are now saying. I want to say how seriously I take this situation and how seriously the people of Auckland City and the Auckland region take it. I believe that the people of Waiheke will do us proud because they take the economy and the environment of this country very very seriously. I just wish that other members of this House—election year or no—took this as seriously as the Government does. 
I congratulate the Minister of Agriculture and the Minister for Biosecurity on the extensive programmes that they have put in place over the last 6 years so that for the first time this country is properly funded and is properly served by its staff who understand that this risk is not one that we can ever take lightly. Previous Governments have; we are taking it seriously. I believe that the exercises that were run in the past will stand us proud. I congratulate Waiheke and this Government.