Sage EugenieHon EUGENIE SAGE (Minister of Conservation): Thank you Madam Chair. I am pleased that there is support from National members for parts of the bill saying that it is a good bill apart from the Fish & Game issues. It was of course the Government which made sure that the bill had its first reading.I think there are some misconceptions in some of the calls from Opposition members. First of all is Ms Dowie with her amendment and the desire to have consistency. Well of course it is the bill with the additional provisions inserted by the majority of the select committee which will ensure consistency because it means there is a consistent regime across the whole of New Zealand in relation to the management of sports fish. Of course in the Lake Taupō area sports fish the trout fishery is administered by the Department of Conservation because of an agreement with Ngāti Tūwharetoa. Elsewhere New Zealand sports fish and gamebird hunting are administered by Fish & Game because that is their statutory responsibility. So this bill will actually ensure a consistent regime across New Zealand in terms of infringement offences in the sports fish and gamebird area.A misconception by Mr Simpson in relation to marine reserves—Fish & Game has powers in relation to gamebird hunting and trout and salmon. It has no powers in relation to the management of marine reserves so it won't be called upon to issue infringement notices in relation to any offences under the Marine Reserves Act.The other issues that Mr Simpson raised in terms of training and support for rangers who may not speak English—that already happens if the department comes across people who are offending against legislation. There is increasing diversity amongst Department of Conservation staff and rangers. But I would also make the really important point that these infringement notices won't be issued in the field. The information will be passed to a specialised team within the Department of Conservation probably of about three people and they will make the decision about whether an infringement notice is issued whether proceedings are commenced in terms of a prosecution or whether there is a recommendation that there be just a warning given. So it's that specialised team that has the expertise there.Then going to the questions that Dr Russell raised in relation to Fish & Game there are a number of safeguards in the legislation around the provisions that are provided in clause 4A which inserts the provisions around the national Fish & Game compliance and law enforcement policy. As Dr Russell noted there will be no Fish & Game rangers or honorary rangers who get this power to issue infringement notices unless a national compliance and enforcement policy has been developed by Fish & Game and approved by the Minister of Conservation. There's a requirement that Fish & Game report annually to the Minister of Conservation so there's that safeguard that there'll be annual reporting on how those enforcement infringement notice powers are exercised. There are also quite detailed provisions in new section 70V inserted by clause 64 of the bill which only allow the director of the New Zealand Fish & Game Council to authorise Fish & Game rangers in writing to issue infringement notices under the Act and the director of Fish & Game cannot delegate that power. So there are a lot of safeguards in the bill in relation to Fish & Game.As Dr Duncan Webb noted in the second reading there are a number of organisations like the plumbers and gasfitters board which can issue fines to people. So if the National Party is saying that it supports the work of Fish & Game then it should take that next step and support the power of Fish & Game to stand up and issue infringement notices to those who offend against the provisions in the Conservation Act. So the councils already have quite significant enforcement powers under both the Conservation Act and the Wildlife Act. It seems that the National Party is expressing no confidence in Fish & Game by its criticisms of the ability of the 12 regional Fish & Game councils to have this power to issue infringement notices.