Baldock Larry: Fiordland Marine Management Bill — First Reading 
Baldock Larry: Fiordland Marine Management Bill — First Reading 
[Volume:622;Page:18125] 
LARRY BALDOCK (United Future) 
: 
 I rise on behalf of United Future to speak on the Fiordland Marine Management Bill. We welcome the introduction of this legislation to the House and will be supporting its referral to a select committee. I think it is a very good move to see it go to the Fisheries and Other Sea-related Legislation Committee where we will have a combination of Maori members and others to listen to the submitters in this regard. I think that will lead to a very good outcome. 
This bill implements the Fiordland Marine Conservation Strategy a strategy that was developed by a local incorporated society called the Guardians of Fiordland’s Fisheries and Marine Environment which represents the major marine environment stakeholders in Fiordland. The development of the Fiordland Marine Conservation Strategy was notable for its constructive balanced and inclusive approach. It was not marked by the degree of rancour often associated with decisions affecting large parts of the marine environment. It was very much a grass roots - driven process and it may possibly provide a model for future decision making on matters of this nature. 
We certainly congratulate those who have played such a significant role in the discussion that has gone on prior to this bill coming to the House. It really must be one of New Zealand’s best kept secrets. It has been going on since the incorporation of the society in 1995—an 8-9 year process—yet most New Zealanders become aware of it only when  
North and South 
 magazine did an article on it. Then suddenly we realised that there were some sensible common-sense constructive people in this country who were working through some very complex issues and coming up with some good outcomes. We certainly commend them for it. It is a very very good example of what is needed and how to go about it. 
I believe that many communities around New Zealand will look with envy at this legislation and the opportunities it will introduce for the conservation goals of the Fiordland area. I think of communities in Auckland right now in the Hauraki Gulf that would welcome this kind of approach to addressing the issues of marine reserves in the Hauraki Gulf and of course the very controversial one right now at Great Barrier the Aotea Marine Reserve which is an example of a shambles of a consultation process. It is an absolute shambles. The thing that we will learn as we go through the select committee stage of this bill is that there has to be a shift away from the Department of Conservation approach to the introduction of marine reserves and towards a more local involvement a local initiation even in the process and definitely representation on meaningful consultation in the outcomes the community wants to see. The sooner the Department of Conservation realises that slow is faster the sooner it will achieve the outcomes that it very passionately wants. 
This has taken 9 years but what an amazing outcome we have. The establishment of eight marine reserves will take place and it is without the contention and the rancour of other communities around the country. I do not believe that all communities will take 9 years. I think they had significant issues to work through in Fiordland and I believe that some communities could achieve it in a much shorter space of time. But regardless of the time the Department of Conservation has to understand that it must listen to the people of New Zealand those who treasure their inshore marine environment and that it must engage them properly and constructively without secret agendas and without the involvement of the Forest and Bird Protection Society and its strategy to try to put a sham of consultation across. Again the issue going on in Auckland around the Great Barrier reserve right now is a disgrace I believe to any Government department. 
The Department of Conservation should not be the lead agency and that has been one of the keys to success in this regard. A trust was established and people were invited to be on that and to begin to discuss the issues. That is the secret I think to the success that we see before us. We will now be looking into the situation with foreshore and seabed reserves around the country as a result of the foreshore and seabed legislation. I think that that will almost necessitate this kind of approach in future because where there are foreshore and seabed reserves with Maori management it will be absolutely impossible for the Department of Conservation to step into those areas and initiate marine reserves without this kind of consultative approach. I trust that not just Maori and the Department of Conservation will participate but that other stakeholders in the community will be invited to participate in the same way as has happened in the Fiordland issue. 
United Future welcomes this approach and this bill which establishes a geographic entity called the Fiordland Marine Area which delineates this bill’s geographical jurisdiction. The coastal marine area around the Solander Islands is adjacent but has been specifically excluded by negotiation and that is another good point—that it is possible for people to say no in these issues and be listened to and respected. Within the Fiordland Marine Area the bill creates eight special marine reserves covering nearly 10000 hectares in total. That is no small feat and it should be welcomed by those in the House who are concerned about the preservation or the conservation interests of our marine environment. I hope that Mr Eckhoff will excuse me for using the word “preservation”. I agree with him that that is not what it should all be about. It is about conservation and not preservation because human beings are allowed to participate in the environment. We are allowed to enjoy that which is being created for us and we do not have to be excluded from those areas in order to take good care of them. 
The bill also creates the Fiordland Marine Guardians advisory committee which will be important in overseeing the management of the area. The bill amends the proposed Southland regional coastal plan as it applies to Fiordland for vessel anchoring diving activities location and construction of structures biosecurity Resource Management Act functions and marine reserves in china shop areas. “China shop areas” is an interesting concept. There are some very delicate ecosystems down there that we do not want bulls running around in—like in a china shop. I think they have coined a very good phrase for it. The bill also requires the Ministers and Government departments responsible for resource management fisheries marine reserves and marine biosecurity and the Southland Regional Council to recognise and have regard to the advice of the Fiordland Marine Guardians advisory committee. What sweet words those are! How sweet they would be to many many communities around New Zealand that look forward to that active participation with Government departments in the conservation interests of their local areas. Most New Zealanders want to see good outcomes in their marine environment. They have learnt many things in the last 20 to 30 years. So we welcome the approach that is in this legislation. 
I look forward to being on the select committee that will hear submitters. I believe that there will be concerns as Gerard Eckhoff has mentioned. Perhaps there will be people who have concerns about the appointment of the guardians. Perhaps that is one thing the select committee will look at if there is significant concern about it. This Government introduced district health boards in terms of local management of our health services. It would be entirely consistent for there to be in time elected representatives on the guardians committee and indeed on the conservation boards as well. They should not all be by appointments. So we will be looking into those matters in the select committee and paying close attention to the submissions. We commend this bill to the House and to the select committee process.