Brownlee Gerry: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members 
Brownlee Gerry: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members 
[Volume:620;Page:16170] 
6.  
GERRY BROWNLEE (Deputy Leader—National) 
 to the  
Minister in charge of Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations 
: Is it the Government’s intention to have residents and ratepayers of the Rotorua district meet the cost of managing the Rotorua lakes even though under the proposed Te Arawa settlement Te Arawa will be the owners of those lakes? 
Hon MARGARET WILSON (Minister in charge of Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations) 
: 
 No. Certainly there are costs associated with improving and maintaining the quality of the water of the lakes but it is important to clarify that the Crown owns the water the water column and the airspace in relation to the lakes; and Te Arawa owns the lake bed. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. The question really if one was to analyse it was who would meet the costs of those lakes. The Minister has said that it will not be the people of Rotorua. Is she saying that it will be the general taxpayer? We should get a better answer than that. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The question was: “Is it the … intention …” etc. and the member said “No”. That is a perfectly straight answer and addresses the question. Please ask the supplementary question. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: I will ask a very straight question: who will pay the costs associated with the management of the lakes once they are in Te Arawa’s ownership? 
Hon MARGARET WILSON 
: It is the lake beds that are proposed to go into the ownership of Te Arawa. However the cost of the quality of the water is a matter for the Crown—central government—and the local authorities. Recently my colleagues the environment and health Ministers announced $7.2 million for improving Lake Rotorua’s water quality. This is to be done of course in consultation with local authorities. 
Steve Chadwick 
: Who established the principle of a co-management approach in relation to lakes returned in settlements? 
Hon MARGARET WILSON 
: National did in its 1992 settlement with Tuwharetoa regarding Lake Taupo. It is certainly that precedent that has been followed if adapted by this Government. 
Metiria Turei 
: Is it the Minister’s view that the Te Arawa settlement ensures public access makes some restoration of rangatiratanga and provides greater environmental protection and restoration to the treasured lakes; and does she agree that National’s criticism is simply a desperate attempt to reinvigorate Maori-bashing because it thinks there may be some votes in it? 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The first part of the question may be answered but not the second part. 
Hon MARGARET WILSON 
: Yes a matter of concern to both the local authorities and to central government is the quality of the lake waters which is why we are contributing to returning to the quality that should have been there in the first place. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: Does the co-management approach not effectively mean that the taxpayer gets the bills and the iwi collects the rent? 
Hon MARGARET WILSON 
: Each of the three parties to the management arrangement will bear its own costs relating to the administration of those lakes. In terms of maintaining the quality of the lakes those arrangements remain the same as they are at the moment. There is no difference. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: Does the Minister accept Treasury’s advice to her in relation to the Te Arawa settlement that: “central Government should not be placed in a position where it overrides the independence of local authorities”; if so why does she think it is fair to give Te Arawa a management role in relation to the Rotorua lakes that cannot be undone democratically by the people of Rotorua? 
Hon MARGARET WILSON 
: One is always respectful of Treasury advice and on this occasion it was taken note of. That is why there was extensive engagement with the local authorities that will be affected. They in fact have supported the agreement that is proposed. I think it is also important that the member notes that the three highest polling candidates in the local body election supported the lakes settlement and that the candidate who had been the chief protagonist against it had his votes decrease from the last election.