Webb DuncanDr DUNCAN WEBB (Labour—Christchurch Central): Thank you Mr Speaker. Well what a misery guts. Here we are having the longest period of economic growth for years—in almost living memory; since records began—and there they are. International headwinds and we're making great progress into them and that's what we get. We're here. At last we've got a Government that's looking out to the long term.But what I really want to talk about is our rivers. Do you know what? Over the last nine years in Canterbury I have watched our rivers slowly degrade and watched the Government stand by notwithstanding the protestations of the people of Canterbury and around the country. The only green we've got in New Zealand is the algae flowing down the Selwyn River. Shame—shameful—an absolutely parlous state. But you know now is the time to do something. Here we are taking steps. It's going to be a big job but those rivers are going to get cleaned up under the leadership of Jacinda Ardern and her excellent Minister David Parker who's taking steps right now—taking steps.Can I just say that farmers are absolutely on board. They are relieved that at last they've got leadership here. They've got a Government that's standing behind them doing what they want to do and supporting them in it—fencing those rivers managing those nitrates making sure there are on-farm systems that can absolutely organise arrange and measure nitrates and keep those nitrates out of our waterways because that's what's doing the damage.I want to make it clear that the farmers are absolutely essential to New Zealand's great economic outcome and this is a Government that's standing right behind them with a Provincial Growth Fund and with Damien O'Connor a fantastic Minister of Agriculture looking after them and helping them on this journey. You've heard Damien O'Connor and David Parker talking about winter grazing. Now we've seen that down south. It's a practice which no honest decent farmer would embark upon. One who cares for the animals cares for the land and cares for the waterways wouldn't contemplate it. So to say to those farmers that are misbehaving That's enough. Stop now." is exactly what's needed and that's what we're doing.So we are right behind preserving our waterways and streams and we've seen a whole lot of action like the announcement in respect of the Kaipara—the biggest estuary in New Zealand which is in a woeful state. The land around has time and again been streaming out into that waterway. That's going to stop now because we know that when we stop the pollution upstream we don't have to go clean it; it'll clean itself. Nature will do its job. A great announcement for the Waikato River—a real treasure that river and yet it's been let to go to rack and ruin over the past nine years.We're not going to solve it straight away but we're sure as anything going to start right now. Look it's not about doing everything at once. It's not about radical change. It's about taking a balanced approach taking an approach which brings people along with us and gives them the tools to make those changes that are necessary.It isn't complicated. This isn't a hard question. But I'll tell you what: every New Zealander deserves to be able to go down to their local river and stream—not to put their foot in not to put their toes in and not just wade in it; to actually swim in it—to have a good old-fashioned swim put your head under come up for air and not get sick. And you know what? That has been becoming more and more rare over the years when the Opposition were in Government. We're absolutely going to change that because I want to be able to take them down to my local river—whether it be the Waimakariri the Selwyn the Rangitata—and let them go for it. Don't let them worry about whether they're going to get sick or not. I want to have a New Zealand we can be proud of again.So look it's not going to be solved overnight but we're going to start on it now. We're not going to sit on our hands like the last Government did. There are some simple steps. Farmers are onside. City folks have got work to do as well. We can't deny the fact that there's water coming off of our brake pads and we're absolutely going to do our part as well. But what I want to see as we progress is rivers we can swim in farmers that are looking after the land like they love to do and a productive economy. Thank you."