Mooney JosephJOSEPH MOONEY (National—Southland): Thank you very much Mr Speaker. I rise as the member of Parliament for Southland for the National Party and just want to take this opportunity to express my condolences on the passing of the Queen as this is my first opportunity to speak and recognise the incredible 70 years of service that she gave. This is an incompetent Government that is obsessed with ideology and has completely lost touch with grassroots New Zealand. It isn't listening to what the country needs and can't get things done. The Labour Government gives the impression of a crew of sailors who have fresh gusts coming at them across the water are completely overwhelmed and have taken their hands off the tiller and let go of the sails. New Zealand deserves so much more. We are a proud nation with a small population that has nevertheless produced some of the best sportspeople some of the best sailors in the world. We know a good team and we know a good skipper when we see one. This Labour Government is not it.From the immigration Minister Michael Wood who brought New Zealand the debacle of the phantom Auckland cycle bridge that cost $55 million before Labour backflipped on it came the debacle of an immigration reset during a desperate workforce crisis which is hamstringing the economy and creating misery and enormous stress across New Zealand. An article just a couple of days ago said 11000 employers are desperate to import 53000 migrant workers as the labour drought hits business growth." What are the Labour Government doing about it? Nothing.From the environment Minister David Parker who brought New Zealand the debacle of the KiwiSaver tax which Labour backflipped on in less than 24 hours comes the winter grazing regulations which will cost farmers up to $100 million to apply for a consent to farm because the Government hasn't sorted our freshwater farm plans despite having two years to do it.Australia announced two weeks ago—the Australian Labor Government announced two weeks ago—that it will increase its permanent immigration intake by 35000 to a total of 195000 in the current fiscal year as the nation grapples with a skill and labour shortage. What is the Labour Government doing as New Zealand grapples with a labour and skill shortage? Nothing. In fact for just one example chefs who have experience working in some of the best hotels across the world cannot get into New Zealand because they don't have level 4 equivalent experience. The Minister Michael Wood who's in the House was told about this. I know he met with Hospitality New Zealand at least a month ago and what has he done? It just needs a simple flick of the pen where he can change it to level 4 or equivalent experience to take into account the experience chefs have had working in the best restaurants in the world so they can come and help our workforce crisis in New Zealand. What has he done? Nothing. I'm talking with hospitality providers in my region who are literally in tears because of the stress on them and their staff. Their staff are leaving because of the stress that they're being placed under. What is the immigration Minister doing? Nothing. It's absolutely shameful.In terms of the winter grazing let's not forget that this is the same Minister who piled the KiwiSaver tax on to the country. Now it's $100 million of unnecessary compliance costs on farmers because of freshwater regulations over a year overdue. On 1 November of this year David Parker expects thousands of farmers to apply for resource consents after he has failed to complete the regulatory framework allowing farmers to certify their freshwater farm plans. These regulations require farmers to have a certified freshwater farm plan for winter grazing on sloping land. They must obtain a resource consent if they do not have a certified programme. However two years after regulations were passed—two years—there's still no framework. To make matters worse officials indicated that the framework would not be ready this year. These regulations have already been delayed by David Parker twice. The worst part is that forcing farmers to apply for consent is unlikely to achieve any environmental gains. Now what is winter grazing for those who are listening? Well just one example in my electorate is a farmer who grows 27 hectares of fodder beet to feed 570 cows for 72 days during winter. That's a period when grass doesn't grow in Southland because the ground is too cold and there is limited sunlight. You need to feed your animals. Fodder beet grows 15 times the feed that grass does. If that farmer tried to feed their cows on grass during that same period they would need 410 hectares of grass instead of 27 hectares of fodder beet. That 410 hectares would turn to mud and the grass would take two years to grow back naturally. So they take a very sensible approach to protect their animal welfare and to protect the water putting in buffer zones putting in catch crops to absorb nutrients to let the water go past without taking the top soil with it break feeding having at least three backup systems. This is an excellent example of what farmers do. What is David Parker doing to recognise that? Nothing. Instead he's requiring up to 10000 resource consents and each application costs up to $10000—so more cost no outcomes and a complete failure by this Government. This is a Government that is failing New Zealand and is failing to listen and we deserve better."