Turei Metiria: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeTurei Metiria: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 30 July 2014. Volume:700;Page:19662. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]7.METIRIA TUREI (Co-Leader—Green)to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all his Government’s policies?Rt Hon JOHN KEY (Prime Minister):Yes.Metiria Turei: Does he agree with the summary of the Associate Minister of Conservation Nicky Wagner of his Government’s policy to save the Māui’s dolphin that said: “We’ll all cross our fingers.”?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: I am sure the member has taken the Minister out of context but what I am guessing the Minister would have been talking about is the quite significant steps the Government actually has taken to protect the Māui’s dolphin which include now allocating effectively 100 square kilometres of set net bans for every one of the estimated 55 Māui’s dolphins a total of 6200 square kilometres; making sure an observer is on all fishing vessels; and essentially working very hard to ensure that we do the best that we can for a species that is endangered.Metiria Turei: Does the Prime Minister stand by his Government’s policy to allow fishing methods lethal to dolphins mineral mining exploration and dangerous seismic surveying for oil and gas in the marine mammal sanctuary where the Māui’s dolphins live?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: Firstly the member might have a little credibility on the topic if she stuck to fishing because there is no evidence to support actually—Hon Annette King: That’s arrogant isn’t it?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: Well no it is actually factually correct. There is no evidence to support the claim that mining or exploration is endangering Māui’s dolphins and if there was Annette your Government would not have carried on doing it over that time.Mr SPEAKER: Order!Rt Hon JOHN KEY: Sorry Annette King—your Government would not have continued to support it. So when it comes to set nets that is an area that could potentially endanger Māui’s dolphins and that is exactly why the Government is taking the steps that it took in the policy statement it supported in 2012.Metiria Turei: If in the marine mammal sanctuary for Māui’s dolphins you can still mine for minerals drill for oil and gas fish with methods that kill dolphins what part of his pollution economy are the Māui’s dolphins safe from?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: In the last 40 years they have been undertaking oil and gas exploration in Taranaki and there is not a single example of a Māui’s dolphin that has been killed as a result of that. That really is fundamentally the problem with the Greens and that is that they are going to try to hoodwink a bunch of New Zealanders that an industry that supports thousands and thousands of jobs and produces the better part of a billion dollars in royalties and taxes—which go towards paying for all the things that the Greens constantly say that they want people to have more of like health education and welfare support—should all be put in jeopardy for a misguided belief that oil and gas is affecting the plight of Māui’s dolphins.Dr Russel Norman: It’s just a tiny dolphin—who cares? You don’t care about a tiny dolphin.Rt Hon JOHN KEY: Well you see this is the problem is it not? When you do not know what you are talking about you make up policies that will not work.Mr SPEAKER: Order! The answer is now long enough.Metiria Turei: Is the reason that National is failing to follow the International Whaling Commission’s recommendations to prevent all of these lethal and potentially lethal human activities including the seismic surveying within the marine mammal sanctuary in order to protect the last 55 Māui’s dolphins in the world—is it failing to follow the International Whaling Commission’s recommendation because it is too busy wining and dining the oil and gas industry?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: When it comes to “whining” the member just needs to look to her right.Metiria Turei: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker.Mr SPEAKER: Order! This is a point of order and I require it to be heard.Metiria Turei: That is no answer to the question. The Prime Minister needs to address it.Mr SPEAKER: On this occasion I cannot agree with the member.