Auchinvole Chris: Financial Review Debate — In Committee 
Auchinvole Chris: Financial Review Debate — In Committee 
[Volume:661;Page:9483] 
CHRIS AUCHINVOLE (National—West Coast - Tasman) 
: 
 It is my pleasure to speak in the financial review debate and to refer to the report of the Local Government and Environment Committee on the 2008-09 financial review of the Ministry for the Environment. As the chair of that committee I must say that I am very pleased with what has been delivered. The committee itself is a hard-working and diligent committee with a high level of commitment to quality outcomes a little like the example given by the National-led Government. 
In the 2008-09 financial year we have seen a new Government with new priorities significant changes to the ministry’s structure and governance systems and a reduction in baseline funding. The new priorities included the reform of the Resource Management Act and developing new policy on the roles and functions of agencies operating in the environmental sector including establishing an Environmental Protection Authority under the Resource Management Act. The amended Resource Management Act reduces the time for processing consents and reduces the paperwork required without forfeiting obligations to New Zealand’s unique environmental heritage. As part of the commitment to environment management an Environmental Protection Authority has been established and it will become effective on 1 October. It has been a pleasure to be involved with the first phase of the Resource Management Act reforms and certainly those reforms clean up an awful lot of rubbish. It was mentioned on the other side of the House and that is where the rubbish emanated from. I look forward to the critical phase of two reforms later this year. Two call-ins have been completed—Te Mihi geothermal and Te Waka wind farm—and two new proposals have been called in. 
The way we handle resources is very very important. The Ministry for the Environment produced some excellent work in preparation for changes to the Resource Management Act. Indeed it is possibly worth mentioning that it made an exceptional commitment at a staff level to making those changes and bringing recommendations forward. We could not have asked for more assistance than we got. It was exemplary. 
I note the comments of the Green Party member who has just spoken and I certainly would not lessen the gravity of the toxic waste clean-ups. They have occurred but I am not quite sure I agree with the member about the success or otherwise of the Mapua one. We had a report just yesterday that indicated that the situation is hopefully not as serious as could have been imagined initially. That work is being done and the report is out there for 6 weeks during which time members of the public particularly those with any concerns are encouraged to make contact with the Ministry of Health. I encourage them to do so and indeed people in Mapua where I was on Friday are encouraged to get in touch with me if they think I can be of assistance with their inquiries. I would be happy to do so. It has been a long journey for them. It is not over yet but again the way the Ministry for the Environment has worked through this has been an exemplary indication of commitment to getting things right even though they were wrong. I congratulate the ministry on the way it has done that work. 
The emissions trading scheme has been an important priority during the reporting period. We have seen the Climate Change Response (Emissions Trading) Amendment Bill implemented. This was drafted to tight time frames and was introduced in September 2009. The Emissions Trading Scheme Review Committee reported back to the House on 31 August 2009 with recommendations and the Act was passed on 25 November 2009. Features of the amended Act include: revised entry dates of 1 July 2010 for transport energy and industrial sectors and 1 January 2015 for agriculture; a transitional phase until 1 January 2013 with a 50 percent obligation and a $25 fixed option for the transport energy and industrial sectors and incentives for afforestation created by a domestic and international market for carbon credits. 
Another important step that has been made is the investment of $36 million in a bio-diesel grants programme. This will promote bio-diesel production to kick-start the biofuels industry. Thank you. 
Report noted.