6. Question No. 6—ConservationCHLÖE SWARBRICK (Green—Auckland Central) to the Minister of ConservationQuestion No. 6—Conservation6. CHLÖE SWARBRICK (Green—Auckland Central) to the Minister of Conservation: Will she commit to the target adopted by the Hauraki Gulf Forum of protecting at least 30 percent of the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park?Hon KIRITAPU ALLAN (Minister of Conservation): I thank the member for Auckland Central for the question. I can confirm that the Minister for Oceans and Fisheries and I are focused on finalising the Government response strategy to the Sea Change plan which will set out actions that central government can take to improve the health and the mauri of the gulf. I understand that the Hauraki Gulf Forum passed a resolution in May 2020 calling for at least 30 percent of marine protection in the gulf. Throughout the course of 2020 Government agencies engaged with multiple stakeholders including the 32 iwi that have rights interests etc. in Tīkapa Moana; environmental NGO scientists; and recreational and commercial fishers. The Government response strategy will include proposals to significantly increase marine protection in Tīkapa Moana with a carefully considered suite of marine protection sites that include at-risk ecologically valuable and representative habitats and ecosystems in the gulf while also supporting customary rights.Chlöe Swarbrick: What is her response to the recent comments by Ngāti Manuhiri chairperson Mook Hohneck who on a scale of one to 10 ranked the state of the Hauraki Gulf currently at four and we're declining very rapidly"?Hon KIRITAPU ALLAN: I acknowledge the comments of Mook and his colleagues who have worked for many years on the restoration and the mauri of Tīkapa Moana. Mr Hohneck will be very mindful to the fact that there are multiple people that have been engaged over many years and that we are getting to a point where there is such buy-in into the protection of key areas within Tīkapa Moana to an extent that I think was perhaps invisible only a couple of years ago. We are as a Government in a position where we will almost be about to make some announcements about the nature and extent of the Government's response. But he will be pleased as he has been engaged—as we will be—to get to that end point pretty soon.Chlöe Swarbrick: Does she support the protective measures taken by Ngāti Paoa on Waiheke Island to declare a rāhui around the island's waters?Hon KIRITAPU ALLAN: We as a Government always support whānau hapū iwi community stakeholders at any level taking proactive measures to protect the taiao the moana and Ngāti Paoa are certainly no exception. As the member will be aware the application has been made under the Fisheries Act which my colleague Minister Parker has responsibilities for. I understand that consultation is currently open closing soon to which he will then make a determination on the nature and state of that particular application.Chlöe Swarbrick: Does she support the initiative of the Noises Trust working with iwi and Auckland Museum to protect and restore the moana around Ōtata Island—the Noises—and what help is her department providing with this?Hon KIRITAPU ALLAN: I must acknowledge the work of Rod Sue and the entire whānau based over there in Ōtata Island. They've been out there for many years and I know that they have constructively engaged with mana whenua over the course of the last decade to really restore some of the mātauranga and worked alongside the science to I guess protect the ecological characteristics of that area in the Hauraki. The Department of Conservation has engaged in a close relationship and is very keen to collaborate with the Neureuter whānau—not so good with my Swiss pronunciation. But we're really keen to engage with them have been engaging with them and will continue to do so particularly once the Sea Change response has been formalised."