Smith Nick: Kaikōura (Te Tai o Marokura) Marine Management Bill — In CommitteeText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeSmith Nick: Kaikōura (Te Tai o Marokura) Marine Management Bill — In Committee[Sitting date: 30 July 2014. Volume:700;Page:19775. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]Hon Dr NICK SMITH (Minister of Conservation):I firstly want to say that the Kaikōura (Te Tai o Marokura) Marine Management Bill being the very last bill passed by the 50th Parliament is something that in my view all parties of this Parliament should take pride in. It is actually possible only because of the cross-party agreement that has been reached. I want to acknowledge the Hon Ruth Dyson for her support which is enabling us to take this measure. I know she has been a supporter of improved marine management across our New Zealand coastline. I also want to acknowledge Eugenie Sage and the Green Party. I note that Supplementary Order Paper 481 which I have tabled in my name brings forward the review of these Kaikōura marine management measures from the period of 25 years that is in the bill to 10 years which is part of a compromise that enables this bill to be passed today.This is actually a very significant bill. I note that the Chairman is one who has a passion for marine life—or generally hunting it—like crayfish. The bill actually creates New Zealand’s largest whale sanctuary a sanctuary of over 5000 square kilometres. That whale sanctuary could not be placed in a more appropriate place in New Zealand than Kaikōura. That is a place in which every New Zealander takes pride in the development of whale-watching and particularly the way in which a local rūnanga and Ngāi Tahu have developed an incredibly successful globally recognised tourism business with Whale Watch Kaikōura which has not only benefited Whale Watch Kaikōura but completely rejuvenated that community of Kaikōura.I also say that this bill provides for New Zealand’s very first seal sanctuary. The truth is that the very first interaction between Europeans Māori and these islands was from the wholesale slaughter of fur seals at an incredible scale of not millions but hundreds of millions. This bill provides for the very first area of New Zealand fur seal sanctuary. I would invite any member of this Committee to visit Ōhau Point to watch the baby seals play in the waterfall where I was 3 or 4 weeks ago with my own family—just to see the joy of hundreds of New Zealanders and visitors who see that very special experience of baby seals playing in a waterfall. It is an experience that is actually listed in that global magazine Lonely Planet as one that every person on the planet should experience and enjoy.This bill also provides for the biggest marine reserve adjacent to the New Zealand main islands the North Island and the South Island.Hon David Parker: What about the Kermadecs?Hon Dr NICK SMITH: The new marine reserve—and I am happy Mr Parker to respond to your point but I want to talk just about the Kaikōura marine reserve. It will be the largest marine reserve on the North Island or the South Island. It will go to the deepest waters. I think that marine reserve is very well justified. I do not think that many New Zealanders appreciate that the marine life in that Kaikōura trench so close to our mainland islands is the richest of anywhere on the globe. In fact my Department of Conservation scientists have said that the second-most abundant marine life at depths greater than 1500 metres has less than 1/500th of the abundance of marine life that is in that Kaikōura trench. It is absolutely right that we are protecting it.To respond quickly to the interjection from David Parker about the Kermadec Islands the Government’s position on the Kermadec Islands is that when you make decisions about marine protections and other use you need knowledge. That is why the Government is spending extensive money with the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research and also with other partnerships to actually get better information about both the conservation resources that are in the Kermadec Islands as well as the economic potential so that we can make a well-informed decision. It is the Government’s view that the Kermadec Islands are an area where there needs to be additional marine protection particularly with those “black smokers” the volcanic vents that exist in that area. It is our view that whether we are privileged to be the Government or dare I fear it the Opposition we would be supportive post the election of making progress on that front as well for marine protection.The other part of this bill provides for both mātaitai and taiāpure reserves for Ngāi Tahu and its local rūnanga. It also makes provision for significant reductions in recreational catches in that Kaikōura area.My last point would be to pay tribute to the collaborative process that has delivered these measures. I make no apologies for saying that New Zealand makes better progress around marine and other conservation issues by getting warring factions together and coming to an agreement. If there was anywhere in New Zealand where we should celebrate a successful outcome of that it is here at Kaikōura. When I went to Kaikōura 20 years ago and talked about marine reserves I attended a public meeting of over a hundred people where there had to be a police presence such was the tension between the protagonists and the antagonists around these sorts of measures. The fact that the Kaikōura community has come to a 100 percent agreement on this is a remarkable achievement. I say on this last bill on the last day of this 50th Parliament that it is equally true that we should take some pride in there being unanimous agreement by Parliament on these marine protection measures.The last thing I wish to say is I want to pay a tribute to retiring Kaikōura MP Colin King. He got me out in a wetsuit even before he was an MP—Iain Lees-Galloway: It’s not retirement as such when you de-select a guy.Hon Dr NICK SMITH: —because he wanted to see progress being made on this bill. Well we have a contestable open process in National. [Interruption] Actually I tell the members opposite that the new candidate for Kaikōura Stuart Smith will be an outstanding member of Parliament for that community. He is strongly supported by Colin King. We are a party that is going through rejuvenation. I would remind members on the Opposition benches that they could learn from the experience of Kaikōura as to how to run candidate selections with class and democracy the way in which the National Party runs them. I know that Colin King takes great pride that on his very last day in Parliament he is seeing a dream and a vision of what would take place in his community being brought to fruition. Finally I do want to acknowledge Ruth Dyson and Eugenie Sage for the agreement that has been reached on this bill to enable its passage today.