Parker David: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Parker David: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:661;Page:9676] 
6. 
Hon DAVID PARKER (Labour) 
 to the  
Minister of Conservation 
: Why does she think it proper to cede control of mining in conservation areas by allowing the Minister of Energy and Resources to be a co-decision-maker in these decisions? 
Hon KATE WILKINSON (Minister of Conservation) 
: 
 The member is making an assertion that is quite wrong. I am not ceding control. Without the Minister of Conservation’s signature access to the conservation estate cannot occur now and will not occur in the future. 
Hon David Parker 
: Does the Minister not understand that her power as Minister of Conservation to stop mining in conservation areas under her stewardship is being severely eroded and that conservation areas being opened up to mining in the Coromandel include the habitat of the endangered North Island brown kiwi; and is she proud of these two achievements? 
Hon KATE WILKINSON 
: I understand very well what my responsibilities are. This Government and I are committed to protecting public conservation land but as we have said all along we intend to balance economic opportunities with environmental responsibilities. As that member knows every application will be considered on a case by case basis bearing in mind the need for that balance and bearing in mind the need to protect our iconic conservation estate. 
Louise Upston 
: Is she aware of any other examples of joint decision-making in the conservation portfolio? 
Hon KATE WILKINSON 
: Yes there are several other decision-making contexts involving more than one Minister. For example decisions on whether areas should be listed on schedule 4 of the Crown Minerals Act are made jointly between the Minister of Energy and Resources and the Minister of Conservation. Decisions to establish marine reserves are made with the concurrence of the Minister of Fisheries. Section 71 of the Wildlife Act required the Minister of Conservation and the Minister of Energy and Resources to determine whether to allow Solid Energy to remove snails from the Stockton plateau. This was required in February 2006 under the then Labour Government to approve a permit for the translocation of a small number of snails and in April 2006 under that Labour Government to vary the permit. 
Hon David Parker 
: Why did the Minister bother attending the press conference she held with the Hon Gerry Brownlee yesterday given that she said very little at it leaving the media with the impression that Mr Brownlee is running her portfolio? 
Hon KATE WILKINSON 
: I attended that press conference because I take my responsibilities as the Minister of Conservation very seriously as does this Government. The conference was not staged and I did not have any control over what questions were asked by the media. 
Hon David Parker 
: Does not this week’s announcement illustrate the likely outcome of her review of the advocacy role of the Department of Conservation and why does she not just agree now to her department being merged into Mr Brownlee’s ministry? 
Hon KATE WILKINSON 
: I do not agree with the member’s assertion at all. 
Hon David Parker 
: Given that about one-third of New Zealanders live in Auckland with no mainland national parks does she not understand that it is all the more important that she as the Minister of Conservation does her duty to protect conservation areas in Coromandel and Great Barrier Island? 
Hon KATE WILKINSON 
: We have said on numerous occasions that each application will be considered on a case by case basis. When I have that case in front of me I shall look at it carefully; I shall take my responsibilities as Minister of Conservation very seriously. We are committed to protecting public conservation land but we also appreciate that there is a balance that can be achieved.