Sage Eugenie: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeSage Eugenie: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 25 June 2014. Volume:699;Page:18867. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]9.EUGENIE SAGE (Green)to the Minister of Conservation: Have any commercial logging operations started on conservation land since the Department of Conservation was established in 1987?Hon Dr NICK SMITH (Minister of Conservation):Yes many times. Operations of commercial forest harvesting have been authorised by my department in Northland Hauraki Gulf central North Island Bay of Plenty Wellington Marlborough Golden Bay Canterbury the West Coast Otago and Southland. Some of these operations are exotic trees some are areas approved for mining where the native timber is permitted to be removed some is where the trees pose a safety risk and others are areas after 1987 where native forest harvesting was still permitted. There is nothing wrong with commercial timber recovery off conservation land in the right circumstances. The important fact is that under this Government the area of native forest is growing as is the area of public conservation land.Eugenie Sage: Is the Minister weakening our conservation law and overturning the 27-year national consensus that we do not log native forest on conservation land because the department is short of funding as a result of National’s $54 million cut to the Department of Conservation’s budget?Hon Dr NICK SMITH: I am all for saving live trees but when you have a massive storm and tens of thousands of hectares are felled I cannot get the conservation idea of leaving it there to rot. The extreme green position seems to be that the bugs and slugs that want to eat the rotten timber have rights ahead of West Coasters who might want a job.Eugenie Sage: Is the Minister saying that Emeritus Professor of Botany Sir Alan Mark is wrong when he says: “Preserving and understanding natural processes no matter how destructive is a key reason why we have preserved these conservation forests.”?Hon Dr NICK SMITH: I know Sir Alan Mark well. He is at the extreme green end and I do not share his view on this and on many other issues. That is because we are a balanced Government that wants to look after New Zealand’s national treasures but we also want a strongly growing economy something that the Greens just do not understand.Eugenie Sage: Will the Minister rule out any further weakening of our conservation law which for decades has prohibited logging in reserves and on conservation land or will New Zealanders have to rally to protect our native forests from logging every time there is a big storm?Hon Dr NICK SMITH: I think New Zealanders are in a very practical space so that when a storm kills a tree we should not prohibit New Zealanders from being able to use the timber. Only the extreme Greens go out in that space that says that a dead tree has to be protected. I further point out to the member that there are numerous examples over the last 25 years where the department has been pragmatic and has allowed the wood from such events to be used.Tim Macindoe: What indications of support has the Minister had for the commercial recovery of timber felled in Cyclone Ita; and is he confident that he has the numbers to pass the bill tomorrow?Hon Dr NICK SMITH: I have had very strong support particularly from the West Coast community. I have also had other support and I thank both the United Future party and the Māori Party for recognising the unique situation on the West Coast. I have also had indications of support from New Zealand First but my understanding is—Rt Hon Winston Peters: No you haven’t.Hon Dr NICK SMITH: Yes I have. Andrew Little told me yesterday.Hon Member: Andrew Little?Hon Dr NICK SMITH: Andrew Williams—I apologise. They are hard to distinguish but I understand that the Labour caucus had a right row on Tuesday—Mr SPEAKER: Order! The Minister has no responsibility for that.Hon Damien O’Connor: Will the Minister support an amendment to his legislation that will guarantee it is West Coasters who get the job opportunities and West Coast businesses that are the beneficiaries of his piece of legislation?Hon Dr NICK SMITH: I know that protectionist arguments about nations might fly but this narrow idea—Hon Damien O’Connor: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. My question was very simple. Will the Minister support—Mr SPEAKER: Order! What we then want is the opportunity for the Minister to answer before the member raises the point of order but what we are going to do is—Hon Damien O’Connor: I would just like to clarify the—Mr SPEAKER: Order! I am going to allow the member to re-ask his question. There was so much noise that it was actually difficult for me to hear the intricacies and the subtleties of the question.Hon Damien O’Connor: Will the Minister support an amendment to his bill that will ensure that West Coast businesses and West Coast people are the beneficiaries of the jobs that he claims will come from his bill?Hon Dr NICK SMITH: It would be a nonsense for us to say that the timber can be used only on the West Coast. [Interruption] I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I cannot even hear myself think and I am attempting to—Mr SPEAKER: Order! The question has been asked and an answer is required and it will be given without this level of barracking coming from my left.Hon Dr NICK SMITH: I point out that there is a sawmill in Moutere in the Nelson area that could well use the timber. I have had letters from furniture makers in Auckland and Christchurch who would want to use the timber. I cannot believe the Labour Party is now going to require that natural products be used only in their local area. It seems like an out for a very embarrassed member for West Coast - Tasman.