Ewen-Street Ian: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Ewen-Street Ian: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:619;Page:14531] 
12.  
IAN EWEN-STREET (Green) 
 to the  
Minister of Fisheries 
: Is he satisfied with the quality of the advice given by Ministry of Fisheries officials to the Primary Production Committee during the committee’s consideration of the Fisheries Amendment Bill (No 4); if so why? 
Hon DAVID BENSON-POPE (Minister of Fisheries) 
: 
 Yes I am aware that officials worked hard to provide the committee with the information that it requested often at very short notice and of a highly technical nature. 
Ian Ewen-Street 
: Does the Minister have confidence in the officials who on 17 June gave the select committee three different versions of the proposed scampi quota allocations within 3 hours including an initial version that was largely blank; if so why? 
Hon DAVID BENSON-POPE 
: I am aware of the specifics of that instance and it illustrates exactly what I said about the extreme pressure at my request and at the request of the chairman of the committee that those officials were working under. 
Russell Fairbrother 
: What weight has the Government given to the Primary Production Committee’s recommendation on the Fisheries Amendment Bill (No 4)? 
Hon DAVID BENSON-POPE 
: The Government has accepted the Primary Production Committee’s recommendation on this bill and the bill will proceed I hope through the Committee of the whole House today in the form recommended by the select committee. 
Phil Heatley 
: What changes to quota will result from the new schedule that changes the scampi quota management area boundary between areas 3 and 4? 
Hon DAVID BENSON-POPE 
: The Ministry of Fisheries is currently finalising advice to me after consulting on a proposal to increase the catch limits in new areas 3 and 4 from a combined total of 310 tonnes to 460 tonnes which includes more than doubling the Crown quota in new area 3. That increase is possible only because the existing management boundaries are being changed in this bill. Depending on the catch limit finally set in new area 4 there is also potential for quota to be allocated to the Chatham Islands Enterprise Trust under the new boundary arrangements. 
Larry Baldock 
: Can the Minister explain the basis for changing the boundaries between scampi quota management areas 3 and 4 under the bill? 
Hon DAVID BENSON-POPE 
: As part of the process to bring scampi into the quota management system the Ministry of Fisheries sought independent scientific advice on the best future management regime for the fishery. The proposed changes are based on the strong recommendations of that advice. Scientific analysis of catch rates by-catch and scampi biology provide evidence that scampi on the Mernoo Bank and the north-west Chatham Rise are one population and should be managed as such. Under the old boundaries that population is split in two. The benefit of the new management boundaries is that I can sustainably provide more quota than under the old boundaries because I can provide for new areas to be developed. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: Talking about the Primary Production Committee’s consideration of the bill how appropriate does the Minister think it is that Mr Ewen-Street removed himself from the select committee on the evidence because of a conflict of interest yet deliberated on the bill? 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The Minister has no responsibility for that particular issue. However that issue can be raised in debate shortly. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. The Minister was asked whether he was satisfied with the quality of advice given to him by the ministry officials but the question is about the committee during its deliberation and consideration of the Fisheries Amendment Bill (No 4). 
Mr SPEAKER 
: No he was asked about his officials’ contribution. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: What about an answer anyway? 
Mr SPEAKER 
: We will be able to have a debate soon. 
Ian Ewen-Street 
: In light of the fact that both the select committee inquiry and the State Services Commission inquiry questioned the relationship between the ministry and Simunovich Fisheries why do the proposed boundary changes to the quota management areas give Simunovich Fisheries an increase in its quota allocation that is greater than the total allocation of almost all the other fishers in the industry? 
Hon DAVID BENSON-POPE 
: Because the boundaries are calculated on the basis of science and not the intent to privilege any particular operator. The member will be interested to know that the percentage increase in the Simunovich Fisheries quota is less than many other fishers are receiving. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I would like a chance to ask my question. You say—and on reflection I believe that you are right—that I had focused on the wrong area in terms of where the Minister’s responsibilities lie. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I will give the member a chance. I am generous today. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: Did any of the Minister’s officials express amazement and astonishment that someone was on the committee for the deliberations who had absented himself at the time of the hearings on evidence because of an admitted known conflict of interest? 
Hon DAVID BENSON-POPE 
: That view was expressed to me and I must say that I share it. 
Ian Ewen-Street 
: Why is the ministry not excluding the catch histories of the Simunovich Fisheries vessels  
Drysdale 
 and  
Petersen 
 from quota allocation calculations when the State Services Commission report makes it clear that they were not properly permitted by the ministry at the time they were fishing for catch history? 
Hon DAVID BENSON-POPE 
: I am not sure that the member’s interpretation of the State Services Commission report is accurate. At the request of the chairman of the committee Mr Carter we did discuss that issue and it provided no rational or sensible pathway forward. 
Ian Ewen-Street 
: I seek the leave of the House to table the documents that were presented to the select committee by the ministry officials. 
Documents by leave laid on the Table of the House.