Baldock Larry: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Baldock Larry: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:618;Page:14380] 
4.  
LARRY BALDOCK (United Future) 
 to the  
Minister for the Environment 
: Is she satisfied that the proposed planning process in the Resource Management (Waitaki Catchment) Amendment Bill is fair; if so why? 
Hon MARIAN HOBBS (Minister for the Environment) 
: 
 Yes although the bill as currently written is more prescriptive than it needs to be. I hope soon to table a Supplementary Order Paper to simplify the bill to ensure a fair and open planning process in the Waitaki catchment. All those with an interest will be able to put their issues before the Waitaki Catchment Water Allocation Board for consideration. 
Larry Baldock 
: What specific steps if any has the Government taken to respond to the concerns raised by the Mackenzie basin farmers regarding the allocation of water for irrigation with particular reference to the relevant 1969 Order in Council? 
Hon MARIAN HOBBS 
: Due to the particular history around the 1969 Order in Council I have asked the Ministry for the Environment to prepare information about the issues involved for the water allocation board’s consideration. My wish is to ensure the injustices felt by those affected by the 1969 Order in Council are heard by the board as the rights they had were not renewed and were eventually legislated out of existence by the National Government in 1993. 
Lianne Dalziel 
: Could the Minister perhaps give members some detail as to how the guarantees of water for irrigation in the 1969 Order in Council came to be extinguished in this way? 
Hon MARIAN HOBBS 
: I am delighted to. In 1991 the Order in Council was replaced by water rights and the allocation disappeared but the order was recognised when the Resource Management Act came into force later in that year. An amendment bill in 1993 removed the section from the original Resource Management Act that gave the 1969 order virtual resource consent status meaning it could never be renewed. That legislation was passed by National. 
Jeanette Fitzsimons 
: Has the Minister received any advice as to why applications for Project Aqua which are listed in the schedules of that bill and which she called in have not been withdrawn despite the March announcement; and is she expecting the Resource Management (Waitaki Catchment) Amendment Bill to proceed with or without Project Aqua being a live application? 
Hon MARIAN HOBBS 
: I expect that Project Aqua will be a live application and I understand that they are leaving their applications for consent in there in order to be able to present before the Waitaki Catchment Water Allocation Board. However I do not believe that they are actually going to proceed with the said Project Aqua. 
Larry Baldock 
: Can the Minister give an assurance that when dealing with the Waitaki catchment issues the Government will seek to uphold property rights and the rule of law; and has she seen any reports calling for her to act otherwise? 
Hon MARIAN HOBBS 
: I can give those assurances. Yes I have seen calls for the Waitaki bill to give water specifically to farmers in the Mackenzie basin for irrigation. The High Court is currently considering the nature of water rights in the upper catchment so to do this would cut across that process and depending on the court’s findings involve a major interference in existing property rights to the water. So I was surprised to see both Don Brash and Nick Smith making those calls. 
Jeanette Fitzsimons 
: When the Minister said that Meridian Energy was leaving its applications in in order to be able to present a submission to the board making the water plan did she mean that people who do not have applications for consent currently in the process will not be able to make submissions to the board; if not then why is that a valid reason for leaving the applications in? 
Hon MARIAN HOBBS 
: I have two points to make there. First anyone regardless of whether he or she has consents in can make submissions to the water allocation board. That is about allocation not about the granting of consent rights. Secondly I understand although I have not actually had a conversation with Meridian Energy that it wants to have its consents live if not actually used so that those issues of hydroelectric power and irrigation and the life of the river may be given full consideration. 
Larry Baldock 
: What representations has the Minister received that advocate to ensure that Mackenzie basin farmers receive a fair deal under the proposed Waitaki catchment planning processes? 
Hon MARIAN HOBBS 
: I have received strong representations from the farmers themselves in January when I met them down in Tekapo. The local member and Minister of Agriculture Jim Sutton has also met the farmers and constantly passes on their concerns to me. Larry Baldock has also been a strong advocate for their issues. But not once have National Party members directly approached me. As usual they prefer to fly in with a tame news crew rather than to offer considered solutions. 
Larry Baldock 
: Given the Minister’s answer to Jeanette Fitzsimons’ question earlier can she understand the uncertainty and concern in the Kurow community concerning Meridian Energy’s intentions and will she work with that community to allay its fears throughout this process? 
Hon MARIAN HOBBS 
: We will continue to work with that community.