Auchinvole Chris: General DebateText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeAuchinvole Chris: General Debate[Sitting date: 12 June 2013. Volume:691;Page:11060. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]CHRIS AUCHINVOLE (National):My goodness me what an exhausting speech that was that we have just heard. Sadly it was exhausting to listen to Mr Goff it really was. The energy that went into it was magnificent the delivery was loud and violent but it was yesterday’s speech—it was yesterday’s speech.Scott Simpson: From yesterday’s man.CHRIS AUCHINVOLE: Oh well those are the words of my colleague here—yesterday’s speech from yesterday’s man. I do not know about that. Hopefully there is a chance for him yet—tomorrow perhaps—in the leadership debate.However let us use this general debate for talking not about yesterday’s news but the fact that the Government recognises the rural sector in New Zealand as the economic backbone through agriculture aquaculture horticulture viticulture and so it goes on. There is $30 billion in primary sector exports—$30 billion. This Government wants to double that by 2025.Scott Simpson: Double it?CHRIS AUCHINVOLE: Double it. New opportunities have seen the Government and industry committing $658 million for 13 projects over the past 3 years in research and development and the potential benefit is over $7 billion per year from 2025.Scott Simpson: How much?CHRIS AUCHINVOLE: It is $7 billion. This makes our economy innovative by making our primary industries sector more innovative. It has been a season of two halves as any farmer will know. We even had the West Coast being declared a drought area.Scott Simpson: Where?CHRIS AUCHINVOLE: West Coast the South Island and it was rugged. It is still tough for the farmers there but none the less there is positive news. Golden kiwifruit for instance are absolutely delicious and I would encourage anyone to buy them. The viticulture boys I am told are doing quite nicely out of the prolonged dry period and good sunshine.The West Coast’s Westland Milk Products is the second-largest dairy company in New Zealand—part of the New Zealand economic solution with export-led opportunities. I was speaking to its chief executive officer today Rod Quin. Turnover is expected to be $700 million—Scott Simpson: $700 million?CHRIS AUCHINVOLE: —$700 million from the West Coast. The company has invested $60 million in new technology and processing. There was direct economic benefit last season of $390 million in milk payments and wages within the community. That is $13000 per woman and child on the Coast. The total economic benefit with a multiplier effect means the dairy industry is by far the biggest sector and the key sector for West Coast development. Growth rates—another 10 percent growth over the next 4 years to supply the ever-growing demand for the safe high-quality good food that is produced from Hokitika and the people there. I am proud to be associated with them and the team that they have at Westland Milk Products.Cross-portfolio funding as we heard this afternoon for science innovation and research has increased by 28 percent in the last 4 years up to $1.36 billion in 2013-14.Scott Simpson: That’s good.CHRIS AUCHINVOLE: It is good. It is good news. As you say my colleague on my right Scott Simpson it is good news. But there is sadly bad news if things go funny. When I talk about things going funny I mean if they go funny politically—if we were to have the much-vaunted in some quarters Labour-Green coalition the snarly political combo; the snarly political combo. How many Opposition members have had a background in real agriculture? I think I could count around and I would say two—two—on that side of the House.Let us see though what they would actually do in terms of what I consider bad news. With a Labour-Green coalition the following measures would be put in place to drastically hinder the primary sector for purely ideological reasons. I can think of three points immediately. A Labour-Green coalition would introduce a capital gains tax including a 15 percent capital gains tax on all farm-gate sales. Not only would farmers have to pay a tax but farm values would dramatically decline as they would be less attractive investments for people. A Labour-Green coalition would immediately bring agricultural emissions into the emissions trading scheme imposing large costs on both farmers and rural businesses. A Labour-Green coalition would impose higher income and company taxes.And if that were not bad enough—if it were not bad enough that that is what those members want to do—here is what they do not want to do. A Labour-Green coalition would oppose the Future Investment Fund and irrigation and water storage development. It would knock reforms to allow greater aquaculture development in the Marlborough Sounds. It would be a disaster.