Eckhoff Gerrard: Resource Management (Aquaculture Moratorium Extension) Amendment Bill — Instruction to Committee In Committee 
Eckhoff Gerrard: Resource Management (Aquaculture Moratorium Extension) Amendment Bill — Instruction to Committee In Committee 
[Volume:616;Page:11652] 
GERRARD ECKHOFF (ACT) 
: 
 One of the great concerns I have about this bill relates to land-based aquaculture. I ask that the Minister in the chair the Hon David Benson-Pope—albeit a new Minister but I am sure he has his head around this legislation and is competent to take a call; I would certainly hope so—assure those who are interested in land-based aquaculture that they will not be entangled in this legislation. I say to him without any hesitation that those who are involved in land-based aquaculture have no feeling of confidence at all that they will not be subjected to a continuance of procrastination when they wish to get on with their particular industry. I ask the Minister to stand as Mr Carter has just done and to give the Committee and indeed the public of this country the benefit of his knowledge on this bill to tell us that this is the case or that is the case and to give us an absolute assurance that this will happen or that that will happen. That is the least he can do. 
The other aspect I have huge concerns about in relation to this bill is the role of the Department of Conservation. The Primary Production Committee did agree to extend the period of time the Minister of Conservation had to make recommendations to 40 days. 
Phil Heatley 
: I raise a point of order Madam Chair. This matter is addressed in Part 2 I think you will find it in clause 6. 
The CHAIRPERSON (Ann Hartley) 
: I do not think that was a reason to interrupt the member’s speech. 
GERRARD ECKHOFF 
: The committee agreed to extend the ability of the Department of Conservation to make significant input into the Resource Management (Aquaculture Moratorium Extension) Amendment Bill. The role of the department is a very very important one. It is well known that the department wants to extend its sphere of influence over at least 10 percent of inshore and indeed offshore potential marine farming areas. So it seems to me that the department wants to have first bite of this particular cherry. It is now formulating its desires of where it wants its marine reserves to be then the industry can have what is left. 
I have not the slightest doubt that the Minister of Conservation’s influence over this particular bill is profound as is the influence of somebody like Kevin Smith his chief adviser. It is well known that at least 10 percent of our potential marine areas are wanted by the Department of Conservation. I ask the Minister to give the Committee and those listening to the debate an absolute assurance that the role of the Department of Conservation will be limited to the provisions of this bill and that this period of extension of the moratorium does not give it a window of opportunity to extend its sphere of influence to such a degree as to take out vast areas of our coastline and offshore waters to achieve its goal of ensuring that at least 10 percent of our fishing resource is potentially locked away for the use of conservation rather than for industry. That is one of the huge concerns that many in the industry and in this country have. 
The point was made earlier about the self-determination Maori wish to have over what is a traditional industry for Maori. Their determination to get totally involved is yet again being set aside and it does not help the concept of race relations. Maori see again the procrastination of this Government. It is something that has to be seen to be believed. It is struggling.