Carter David: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Carter David: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:633;Page:5122] 
12.  
Hon DAVID CARTER (National) 
 to the  
Minister of Conservation 
: Is he satisfied with the Department of Conservation’s advocacy role in the land tenure review process; if so why? 
Hon CHRIS CARTER (Minister of Conservation) 
: 
 Broadly yes. My department provides advice to Land Information New Zealand as part of the tenure review process established by the Crown Pastoral Land Act of 1998. 
Hon David Carter 
: Did the Department of Conservation sponsor the conference involving the New Zealand Ecological Society held in Wellington between 28 August and 1 September; if so why? 
Hon CHRIS CARTER 
: The Department of Conservation funds and supports a range of different environmental conferences. If the member wishes to find out exactly what the level of our support was I suggest he put in a written or oral question to me on that and I shall provide the correct information. 
Hon David Carter 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. I have just asked the Minister whether the Department of Conservation sponsored it and the Minister’s answer was that if I wanted to know I should put it down as a question. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: The Minister addressed the question. 
Charles Chauvel 
: What conservation gains have resulted from tenure review? 
Hon CHRIS CARTER 
: There are some iconic gains. The Labour-led Government has established six high-country parks by linking existing Department of Conservation land with land coming into protection. As a result of tenure review the Birchwood Station purchase and the Molesworth transfer these parks are an enduring legacy for future generations of New Zealanders to enjoy. I am really proud I had a hand in making them. 
R Doug Woolerton 
: What percentage of the land that has had its tenure review completed has gone to the Department of Conservation and what percentage to farmers as freehold title? 
Hon CHRIS CARTER 
: Since 1992 58 percent of the land has gone into freehold to farmers—that is about 162000 hectares—and 42 percent some 117500 hectares has gone into Department of Conservation management owned by all of us. 
Hon David Carter 
: Is the Minister aware that the president the vice-president and two of the four councillors of the New Zealand Ecological Society are current Department of Conservation employees and that the conference was sponsored by the Department of Conservation and does that demonstrate any conflict of interest? 
Hon CHRIS CARTER 
: As I replied to the member earlier the Department of Conservation funds and supports a whole range of different environmental conferences initiatives and workshops right around the country and Department of Conservation staff are involved in a whole range of extracurricular conservation activities which I am very pleased about. 
Hon David Carter 
: Is it appropriate for this ecological society to put out a press release dated 31 August entitled “Land Tenure Review Failing the Public Interest” when the Department of Conservation is the main antagonist in the land tenure review process? 
Hon CHRIS CARTER 
: I guess that is a lot more ethical than taking “cash for policy” which the National Party does. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: No that is not relevant. That is not an appropriate reply to the question. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. Is the member going to be asked to withdraw and apologise for his unfortunate remark? The Minister with responsibility for Auckland Issues—the woman who does no work at all—is laughing through a point of order. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Laughing is not interjecting. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: Well I suppose it is doing something which is a little unusual— 
Madam SPEAKER 
: I am asking the Minister to withdraw and apologise. Would the Minister please stand withdraw and apologise. 
Hon CHRIS CARTER 
: I withdraw and apologise. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: The Minister should now address the question. 
Hon CHRIS CARTER 
: Could the member repeat the question. 
Hon David Carter 
: I am only too happy to and the Minister should listen carefully. Is it appropriate for this ecological society to put out a press release dated 31 August entitled “Land Tenure Review Failing the Public Interest” when the Department of Conservation is the main antagonist in the land tenure review process? 
Hon CHRIS CARTER 
: The Department of Conservation is not an antagonist in the process; it is an adviser on significant inherent values of land going through the land tenure process. I cannot be responsible for what Department of Conservation staff do outside of their employment. I note that the member has not said that the Department of Conservation made such a statement. 
Hon David Carter 
: What recent studies have been done by the Department of Conservation or Landcare Research to ascertain whether biodiversity has been lost maintained or enhanced within the Department of Conservation estate? 
Hon CHRIS CARTER 
: A recent study put out by Dr Susan Walker of Landcare Research indicated that biodiversity values were not being met through the land tenure process. We are reviewing the process at all times and would like to see the best possible outcomes; the Minister for Land Information and I are both looking at the process at the moment.