O'Connor Damien; Williams PotoHon DAMIEN O'CONNOR (Minister of Agriculture): Thank you Madam Assistant Speaker. Look it's an honour to speak for the first time in the House in 2019 but I have to say it's a privilege that I've had for a number of years every year that I come back. I do value the responsibility and I guess the honour of being able to be part of a democratic system that I think we should be very proud of. But it's not perfect and I acknowledge that: from time to time we get National in charge. Those are the down times I have to say. But I am proud to be part of a coalition Government led by the Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern that is inspiring the world—inspiring the world. What she has done on the international stage—and we will back up here in New Zealand—is believe in ourselves. There's a saying: Those who think they can and those who think they can't are right." Well we think we can. We think that we can help people in poverty. We think we can help people who don't have a home. We think we can help people who need more income. We think we can help New Zealand become a better place for every New Zealander just not for the elite. That was the objective of the previous National Government.I have to say before going on that I'd like to take the opportunity to acknowledge what has been happening in Tasman-Nelson. A fire has been down there. I'd like to acknowledge the efforts of an incredibly coordinated effort—people on the ground in offices in Wellington—ensuring that that fire firstly is put out and that people who are affected are assisted. Now there will always be glitches as there have been but Fire and Emergency New Zealand the Tasman District Council civil defence the helicopter pilots—all of these people have done an incredible job and assisted by my colleague the Hon Kris Faafoi the Prime Minister has been down there and my colleagues as well ensuring the Government will support those people to recover and get on with their lives. That's because this Government indeed focuses on the provinces.There was criticism before from I think an Auckland MP about the Provincial Growth Fund. They don't like the Provincial Growth Fund because this Government is going out into what they considered Tory heartland into the provinces and saying "We do appreciate what you do for our economy. We do appreciate the fact that you need good infrastructure and support and we will support you and fund you." My colleague the Hon Shane Jones is going and talking with those people and investing to provide the support for a better future in the provinces—not sitting around supporting a real estate merry-go-round held up by immigration in Auckland which was the measure of the National Party's objectives. We are going to get out there and ensure that every New Zealander has a better future.My responsibilities in the primary sector are absolutely crucial. We are still at the heart of economic wealth creation in this country and we take that responsibility with great pride. The objective in the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) Biosecurity New Zealand and the different agencies that we have set up is sustainable value growth. Some people challenged me the other day as to whether MPI was on the same path that it was sent down by the previous National Government: double exports. They thought that was the way to success. No we have accepted that sustainable value growth must be the objective of our Government and ensuring that that value flows right through our economy.Can I say that we have a number of important challenges; water quality is one of them. Working with my colleague David Parker we have taken that challenge on board grasped it with both hands and are going to go out to the farming sector and with tools provide them assistance to make the transitions that they need. Climate change is a reality. You don't have to go too far to ask anyone whether that's true or not. There are I believe a couple of people in the country and one even regional council that perhaps suggested that it wasn't a reality. Can I say that on behalf of the West Coast Regional Council they accept that climate change is a reality. They have some questions over what it might mean for their local communities. But we are facing the reality of disruption on a regular basis and this Government will help prepare the heart and soul of our economy—that is the rural sector—to address that.We've had down in my patch of Tasman on top of the fires a necessary requirement to cut water availability to intensive farming horticultural operations to 35 percent of the water they expected. That's a tough challenge. We're going to help them through that. We can't create the rain but it's a warning to everyone in the primary sector whether you have water or not: be prepared for some tough times on occasions.Can I say that there are a number of challenges that we will address. We have of course a biosecurity system that was left in a little bit of disarray—an animal tracing system that was left in a bit of disarray—by the previous National Government and its kind of laissez-faire hands-off head in the sand approach to governance in this country. We are about leadership. We are going to create a better biosecurity system. We are going to get farmers to adhere to a proper animal tracing system and we'll pass legislation to ensure that happens.We're going to support organic growers in this country who have been focusing on value-added production but have not been able to underpin that with a certification system that is recognised internationally. We will pass legislation to ensure that they are supported for all their efforts. We are going to pass and support a farm-debt mediation bill because we know there are some challenges in the primary sector and with our colleagues New Zealand First who initiated this we've worked to bring back to this House a bill that will be effective that will provide some fairness when on occasions those people across the primary sector are forced to negotiate a way out.We had the Dairy Industry Restructuring Act passed in 2001 up for renewal and we're working with the dairy industry to ensure that we get a better outcome and futureproof the dairy industry for the good of all New Zealand. We will overhaul the Biosecurity Act. Biosecurity has been seen as perhaps the responsibility of just our horticultural and primary sectors. It is not. It is the responsibility of each and every one of us as Kiwis because our lifestyle and our flora and fauna is quite unique and if we allow some of these unwanted pests and organisms into this country we will start to see that destroyed. One clear example: the brown marmorated stink bug. You might think them just little bugs but go online and have a look at video clips as to what happens with an infestation to just a normal barbecue.These are all challenges that we have. One area—and I'm very pleased to say that my colleague the Hon Chris Hipkins announced today a total revamp of the occupational education and training system in this country. It has been broken. The National Government sat on their hands with their heads in the sand and failed to address the core problems particularly in the area of agriculture. We've had to go through a difficult process with Taratahi and Telford and effectively close them down temporarily to revamp the whole system and give them a sustainable future. All the Tories did is throw a bit of money at them revamp them put Telford firstly under Lincoln and then under Taratahi and say "You'll be right." and walk away. What the Hon Chris Hipkins is doing is bold it's brave and it will ensure that we get the proper level of training and education for all those young New Zealanders across this economy. Too many times I've spoken to employers over a number of years who have said "Look the young people we're getting out don't have the skills that we need." There's been a mismatch between the billions of dollars effectively that have gone into occupational training and education over the last 10 years literally to produce I guess young New Zealanders who still don't have the skills needed by industry. We're going to change that and that revamp will achieve it.I can't finish a speech without mentioning I guess the big challenge that we have—and it's being watched internationally—that is Mycoplasma bovis. Can I thank my colleagues once again? As I go around the country farmers and observers who are informed appreciate the bold and brave move that we took to actually say we want to eradicate Mycoplasma bovis. Anyone who looks at the disease and its potential effects on the New Zealand production systems and livestock knows that this would be a nightmare. It is managed in other countries—that is true—but we run unique farming systems here that would mean that for a disease like Mycoplasma bovis which is hard to identify until you see the acute signs of it we would have to change the farming systems in this country. Thank you.ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Poto Williams): I apologise to the honourable member; your time has expired."