Korako NukNUK KORAKO (National): Tēnā koe e Te Māngai o Te Whare ā huri noa i Te Whare nei e mihi atu ki a koutou katoa. Ki a koe e Te Minita o Te Papa Atawhai ngā mihi.[Thank you Mr Assistant Speaker and to you all throughout this House. My acknowledgments to you Minister for the Environment.]I want to rise in support of the Wildlife (Powers) Amendment Bill to highlight that this bill is a very important part of the Government's environment and conservation programme because it will reduce offending against wildlife. Most of what we do in the conservation space is about conserving particular areas of land and the wildlife that lives there. It is also about regulating human access to those conservation areas in a way that ensures we can all enjoy these areas without causing harm to our native species. A lot of our work is also about reducing predators. Well actually it used to be about reducing predators but thanks to this bold vision that the Government has we are going to actually eradicate predators and make the country predator-free by 2025.There is also another type of predator that we have here that really does endanger our wildlife and that is people—people who deliberately or carelessly endanger our wildlife by committing offences. But the issue we have right now is that the powers of the DOC rangers to deal with these offences are very very limited. These rangers are highly trained and trusted individuals who do a fantastic job of looking after our most pristine natural areas. I think it is appropriate that we are now giving them new powers to prevent offences against wildlife and deal with the offenders whom they actually encounter.These rangers are already very very highly trained and as a result of this bill they will receive further training to ensure that they understand their new powers and the limits to those powers so that they can apply them effectively to prevent the endangerment of our precious wildlife. That is really a big part of the essence of this bill. Under the bill rangers will have the power to take action to prevent an offence about to occur or in progress. Powers of arrest will be limited. They will be limited to certain rangers authorised by the Director-General of Conservation but other full-time rangers will have the ability to temporarily stop suspected offenders in order to allow an investigation. They will be able to seize a broader range of evidence that they currently at the moment cannot. So they will be able to require identification and details from suspected offenders. The range of powers that allow these offenders to be stopped is: to be stopped identified investigated and in certain circumstances arrested also then leading to prosecution. These powers to me as part of the Local Government and Environment Committee are well-thought-out they are sensible and they carefully balance the operational requirements of DOC staff with the principle that agents of the Government should have no more power than they need in order to carry out their job.In this case this bill is an excellent bill. It is a reflection of the great work that has been done under this Government in the name of conservation. I acknowledge once again the Minister of Conservation in being the one who actually really is responsible for this bill coming to the House and it is our pleasure to be sitting on the committee to assist in enabling that to happen. I have no hesitation in commending this bill to the House. Kia ora.