Dean Jacqui: General DebateText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeDean Jacqui: General Debate[Sitting date: 21 October 2015. Volume:709;Page:7419. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]JACQUI DEAN (National—Waitaki): First of all I want to thank the member opposite Clare Curran for her acknowledgment of the Waitaki electorate twice during question time and then again in her intervention. For a city-based MP such as herself to look out into the countryside and acknowledge the stewardship of members of Parliament such as me I want to thank her most sincerely. I also want to wish her all the very best in her future endeavours whatever they may be.I am also very proud to be a “blue-greener”. I am so proud to be a blue-greener that as I wear my rather stylish cast today you will see as I reveal the cover it is in fact green. I am showing my true political colours. We are indeed blue-green and proud of it. I want to acknowledge Nick Smith and the Hon Maggie Barry and of course the Hon Nicky Wagner who lead the Bluegreen team—but well supported by this caucus of National by Scott Simpson who is the very very able chair of the Local Government and Environment Committee—for the many initiatives that they have announced in this year’s Budget and in previous Budgets in the 7 years since we have been the Government which have been to the benefit of conservation the environment but also sustainable development in New Zealand.To illustrate that point I just want to talk about a couple of initiatives which have been in train in New Zealand since we have become the Government. The first one is the New Zealand Cycle Trail. My beautiful large electorate of Waitaki which I am so proud to represent boasts not one not two but three cycle trails in the network—Scott Simpson: How many?JACQUI DEAN: Three cycle trails in the network throughout New Zealand. Of course the Otago Central Rail Trail was the first and no doubt was the model for the forum in 2009 which was the genesis for the Prime Minister getting behind the New Zealand Cycle Trail initiative. Now we have 14 completed cycle trails and each and every one of those is providing an incredible boost to regional economic development. I have got three in Waitaki. There are cycle trails all around New Zealand. I can see on a daily—daily—basis what that investment by this Government into our regions is bringing to our small towns. Ten years ago when I first came into this role and I would travel through the townships of Clyde I would go to Alexandra and I would go all around Central Otago and those little townships were struggling. Those little townships were growing smaller and smaller and smaller every passing day.Now in the 10 years that I have been travelling the highways and byways of Central Otago what a difference. You cannot but fall over a decent-cup-of-coffee shop wherever you go. You cannot but go past the most wonderful small accommodation outlets. People are seizing the opportunity to start up businesses in the provinces and the region has been transformed just as it will be for the Alps 2 Ocean Cycle Trail which is arguably the most magnificent cycle trail in New Zealand. Already all the way down the Waitaki Valley business people are pricking up their ears and thinking: “There is an opportunity for me here in Kurow in Ōtematatā in Ōmārama. There is an opportunity for me to showcase my special part of New Zealand to the travelling public.”But what is even better than that from the blue-green perspective is that whole tracts of the New Zealand countryside are being opened up for people to enjoy—people of any level of fitness. It does not matter if you have not ridden a bike for many years just as it is with the urban cycle trail initiatives also funded by this Government. It does not matter that you have not ridden for many many years. You only need to do a small amount of a cycle trail and New Zealand’s beauty will be revealed to you. Interestingly my very last and most important point I think apart from the economic benefit that is being brought to the regions is that people are noticing things now. People are noticing that yes we need to do something about our wilding pines and we need to protect and enhance our environment. Thank you.