Ewen-Street Ian: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Question No. 5 to Minister Questions to Members 
Ewen-Street Ian: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Question No. 5 to Minister Questions to Members 
[Volume:607;Page:4971] 
11.  
IAN EWEN-STREET (Green) 
 to the  
Minister for Biosecurity 
: Can he confirm the statement by the director of the painted apple moth eradication project in Auckland that “MAF’s project team expects to wind up large-scale activities by the end of April”; if so when does he expect that the moth will finally be eradicated? 
Hon JIM SUTTON (Minister for Biosecurity) 
: 
 I can confirm that we are reviewing the programme at the moment and this review will be presented to Cabinet in May. I am hopeful that the moth will be finally eradicated but I cannot predict a date. 
Ian Ewen-Street 
: Now that spray programmes have been conducted and planned for the eradication of the white spotted tussock moth in east Auckland the painted apple moth in west Auckland the gum leaf skeletoniser moth in south Auckland the Asian gypsy moth in Hamilton and the guava moth in Whangarei can the Minister give some indication of how many cities the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry intends to blanket spray with poison before he institutes a 100 percent container decontamination regime? 
Hon JIM SUTTON 
: I do not intend to poison any New Zealand cities and have done nothing so far to poison even the first one. I have already given a commitment that sea container biosecurity will be tackled this year. The member will be well aware that proposals for additional measures in this respect have been circulated to stakeholders for comment but I advise him that this will not be a silver-bullet solution. We cannot stop all trade nor can we put a big dome over the country; some incursions will always occur. 
Clayton Cosgrove 
: Is the Minister satisfied that the painted apple moth eradication project is working; if so why? 
Hon JIM SUTTON 
: Yes I am satisfied. It is a complicated project but I am confident that eradication is on track. The area being sprayed is reducing as the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry has received data that show areas where no moths are present. I hope that during the remaining scope of this programme the moth will be successfully eradicated. 
Shane Ardern 
: With the fiscal costs of eradication in Auckland now exceeding $90 million and the amount being spent on surveillance still being only around $20 million when will the Minister take seriously the number of incursions we are now getting and start putting some real horsepower into the inspection regime? 
Hon JIM SUTTON 
: That question is a bit rich coming from a member of a party that when in Government passed legislation for instant fines for biosecurity breaches but did not have the nerve to introduce them and that knew about significant holes in our biosecurity system—including the one that the painted apple moth got through during that Government’s term of office—and did nothing about them. 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. Is it now acceptable in an answer to a question for a Minister to give a 2-minute tirade solely on what occurred prior to 1999? 
Mr SPEAKER 
: No it is not and the Minister did not speak for 2 minutes; it was for about 30 seconds. 
Larry Baldock 
: Has the Minister been surprised at the results of the New Zealand Educational Institute survey conducted through west Auckland schools and is he giving instructions that the results of that survey will be included in the wrap-up survey and in the Ministry of Health’s inspection into the whole programme? 
Hon JIM SUTTON 
: I am waiting for the independent survey by the Ministry of Health and I will leave it to the ministry as to whether the New Zealand Educational Institute submission is part of its consideration. 
Ian Ewen-Street 
: Does the Minister believe that the health concerns of west Aucklanders are just a temporary inconvenience for the good of the country as he has been reported as saying; if so when will he agree to meet personally and listen to the pleas of the residents whose physical and psychological health has been strained to breaking point? 
Hon JIM SUTTON 
: Of course my colleagues and I take the concerns of west Aucklanders entirely seriously. Nevertheless I do believe it is a temporary inconvenience that people are enduring for the good of the country. 
Ian Ewen-Street 
: Given that the present reduction in painted apple moth numbers still represents a huge increase in the total number of moths from 4 years ago how is the Minister intending to make the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry accountable for its incompetent bungling of this eradication programme so that it does not happen again? 
Hon JIM SUTTON 
: If the member could have the advantages of hindsight before things went wrong I am sure he would be a Minister himself. 
Larry Baldock 
: In the light of the cost of the painted apple moth spray programme and the cost of potential future campaigns will the Minister consider spending the amount needed to inspect every container or at least every high-risk container that reaches our shores? 
Hon JIM SUTTON 
: The member will be aware that a draft import health standard for sea containers from all countries has been released for consultation with comments due from stakeholders by 28 April. If I were to read out a summary of the proposal it would probably take too long so I will take your guidance on that Mr Speaker. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Perhaps the member could table the document. 
Document by leave laid on the Table of the House.