Dean Jacqui: General Debate 
Dean Jacqui: General Debate 
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JACQUI DEAN (National—Waitaki) 
: 
 Meanwhile back in the 21st century I also want to talk about the importance of agriculture to the New Zealand economy. You know a previous Labour Prime Minister once famously declared with great conviction that agriculture was a sunset industry. 
Hon Members 
: Who said that? 
JACQUI DEAN 
: That was former Prime Minister David Lange. I acknowledge that that might have been a few years ago but that attitude in the Labour Party prevails today. Last night in the House Labour list MP Raymond Huo described high country farmers as “the privileged few”. You know they are saying again that Labour hates farmers. Well they could not be more wrong. For the year ended 30 September 2011 the primary sector accounted for 71 percent of our export earnings or $32 billion. So simply put the primary sector has been and continues to be the backbone of the New Zealand economy. The ongoing success of the primary sector is a key part of our plan to build a stronger economy create more real jobs and raise incomes. National is proud to champion farmers and is proud to champion growers. 
 National believes that economic development can go hand in hand with environmental sustainability. Just for a moment have a look at the $35 million Irrigation Acceleration Fund and the $400 million proposed equity investment in 2013-14. Irrigation development creates jobs particularly for young people and is also a fantastic career development in our rural towns of New Zealand. So let us just have a look at the Opuha dam project in South Canterbury and you can see the enormous benefit not just to the local economy but also to water quality downstream from the dam. Irrigators are required to up their game with regard to nutrient outflows and are responding to the call to improve water quality. You know— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I would ask the member please not to read a speech during this general debate. She is perfectly welcome to keep going but please refer to notes and do not read a pre-written speech to us. 
JACQUI DEAN 
: Thank you Mr Speaker. You know I absolutely back regional councils’ approach and their commitment to improving water quality. Farmers understand very well their responsibilities in terms of the need to protect their environment and to farm sustainably. I will be reading a bit because I will be quoting but I do hope you will bear with me. High country farmers are currently under the spotlight with the Crown Pastoral Land (Rent for Pastoral Leases) Amendment Bill being debated in the House. The Greens display their usual eco-arrogance in asserting that only they understand—and I am quoting now—“environmentally sustainable outcomes” completely misunderstanding that high country farmers have a multigenerational commitment to improving rabbit-infested  
Hieracium 
-infested wilding pine - infested high country to the point where over the past 100 or so years their international reputation as producers of the finest product and the finest wool including merino wool is second to none. The Icebreaker company sources the finest merino wool from stations throughout the South Island—and I am about to quote another figure—but cannot get enough to meet demand. Unlike Labour we want Icebreaker to succeed—indeed we want it to be wildly successful. If I may quote Icebreaker revenue “is expected to top NZ$160 million” for this fiscal year. It says its aim is to double that within the next 3 years. 
I want and this Government wants small companies like Icebreaker to be wildly wildly successful. When David Parker was the Minister for Land Information he did everything he could to retire the high country from production including ratcheting up the rents to place the farmers into tenure review. Luckily there was a change of Government and we now have returned to a Government that supports agriculture.