3. Conservation Department—Funding and Fire ManagementCLAYTON MITCHELL (NZ First) to the Minister of ConservationConservation Department—Funding and Fire Management3. CLAYTON MITCHELL (NZ First) to the Minister of Conservation: Does she stand by all her statements?Hon MAGGIE BARRY (Minister of Conservation): Yes in the context in which they were made. Clayton Mitchell: Does she stand by her statement that the Department of Conservation (DOC) had the budget it required and denying that it was being increasingly underfunded; if so why? Hon MAGGIE BARRY: In order to inform the member of the facts of the matter because that member has been responsible for peddling some complete nonsense the DOC operating budget has increased—[Interruption]—listen carefully you may learn something that is factual and will help you—and $316 million in 2008-09 has gone to $374 million in this financial year. Vote Conservation has increased from $416 million in 2008-09 to a forecast of $491 million this financial year. Not a cut not a knock back not razoring down all of the facilities that DOC has as its resources but in fact an increase.Tracey Martin: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker.Mr SPEAKER: Order! It is a point of order. It will be heard in silence.Tracey Martin: The question was: does the Minister stand by her statement? She actually has yet to answer whether she stands by her statement. Mr SPEAKER: Order! No. [Interruption] Order! The question was very clearly addressed to my mind and there were a significant number of interjections coming throughout the answer from many members of New Zealand First. The Minister has the opportunity then to respond to those interjections. Are there further supplementary questions? Clayton Mitchell: In light of her answer how does she can explain that fire control expenditure for fire management of over 8.6 million hectares of conservation lands has dropped by 94 percent from over $11 million in 2011-12 to just $724000 last year? Hon MAGGIE BARRY: It may be helpful to the member to understand that our fire services have been reviewed substantially. The Minister responsible for that is Peter Dunne. DOC has managed its firefighting expenditure very well. I think what the member might be alluding to—and I am happy to help the member if he would like to write me a question about it to go through the detail of the costs and operational. But it has been a major review and the basis of the charges has been changed and therefore it would be appropriate for me to respond to you in writing if you would like to know more or for you to address the questions to Minister Dunne. Clayton Mitchell: Supplementary—Mr SPEAKER: Order! There is going to be little point in carrying on with supplementary questions if you cannot get the assistance of your own parliamentary colleagues so that we can all hear the answer. Clayton Mitchell: In that case is it not true that under the restructuring of the Fire Service DOC will retain its responsibilities for controlling fires on conservation land? Hon MAGGIE BARRY: The Department of Conservation will always look after public conservation land in the way that it has in the past and also in the way that the new regulations hand down. There are some alterations to the ways in which and the areas in which this is done and the size of the areas. As I say it is a very detailed assessment and change that has gone through. Very happy to answer the member's questions if he would like to put those to me in writing. The primary question did not in any way allude to this line of questioning—happy to address it but it needs to be done in the proper channels. Clayton Mitchell: What impact has the extreme reduction in fire expenditure had on preventing fires like last Saturday's 300000 hectare fire on DOC land at Castle Hill—a fire that also resulted in the closure of the Christchurch to Greymouth rail link? Hon MAGGIE BARRY: Putting resources and money into preventing fires is a very difficult business. There could be any number of reasons why those fires were started. It could have been a naturally occurring event it could have been an accidental throwing away of a cigarette it could have been arson—nobody knows. No amount of money that DOC or any other entity can put into fire precautions is going to stop those kinds of things from happening. Firefighting is always something that DOC takes seriously and always will. Clayton Mitchell: I seek the leave of the House to table a document showing the figures outlined as I have spoken about today with a 94 percent reduction—Mr SPEAKER: Order! All I need now is the source of the document. Clayton Mitchell: This was sent through to us. It is a compilation of annual reports put together and confirmed by the Parliamentary Library so it is in fact from the Parliamentary Library from 7 February. Mr SPEAKER: Order! I will put the leave and the House will decide. Leave is sought to table that compilation prepared by the Parliamentary Library. Is there any objection to it being tabled? There is objection.