8. Freshwater Management—Government InitiativesSARAH DOWIE (National—Invercargill) to the Minister for the EnvironmentFreshwater Management—Government Initiatives8. SARAH DOWIE (National—Invercargill) to the Minister for the Environment: What are the next steps in the Government's programme to improve New Zealand fresh water and what specific lakes and rivers will benefit from these initiatives?Hon Dr NICK SMITH (Minister for the Environment): Today I have announced with the Prime Minister 33 freshwater improvement projects across the country covering over 100 lakes and river. The grants totalling $44 million involve a total investment of $142 million with council and other contributions. It will fund fencing riparian planting sewerage reticulation water storage to increase minimum flows the eradication of water weeds removal of pest fish and the restoration of marginal land adjacent to waterways. Significant water bodies included in the initiative are the Wairoa River in Northland Lake Tarawera in the Bay of Plenty Lake Horowhenua the Manawatū River the Waimea River in Tasman the Selwyn River in Canterbury and Lake Wānaka in Otago and I note the member's advocacy for the Waituna Lagoon in Southland.Sarah Dowie: How does the level of Government investment in improving freshwater quality over the past 9 years compare with the previous 9 years and what is the total amount this Government has committed?Hon Dr NICK SMITH: Our Government has committed $201 million over the past 9 years as compared to $29 million over the previous 9 years—i.e. the investment has increased by sixfold. This is the amount actually spent on programmes. We have also committed a further $160 million through initiatives like the Whanganui the Waikato and other rivers from previous funds and Treaty settlements. Today's announcements bring the total to over $400 million of investments in cleaner water for New Zealanders.Sarah Dowie: How do these announced initiatives fit into the Government's broader freshwater improvement programme?Hon Dr NICK SMITH: The Government is simultaneously putting in place stronger national policy direction and regulation. Just today I have launched new forestry regulations with Associate Minister for Primary Industries Louise Upston which will see a substantial reduction in the amount of impacts of that sector on water quality. I am also working with the Minister for Primary Industries on national regulations that will require 56000 kilometres of fencing. We have also put in place national rules around ecological health limiting nutrients like phosphates and nitrogen and setting a clear target of 90 percent of water bodies being swimmable by 2040. No Government in the history of New Zealand has made as much progress on improving freshwater management.Marama Fox: What steps has the Government taken in response to the consistent and impassioned advocacy by the Māori Party to ensure local iwi are involved in freshwater clean-up projects across New Zealand?Hon Dr NICK SMITH: The first initiative of the Māori Party was formally recognised in Te Mana o te Wai in our national regulatory framework and that will be put in place. Secondly with regard to this Freshwater Improvement Fund the Māori Party advocated that a condition of receiving funding was for local iwi and hapū to be involved in those clean-up projects. That is a condition of those 33 projects that we have announced today. Then the third area of work has been with the Minister for Māori Development in which through the work between my ministry and his we have also funded a further 12 specific projects in partnership with iwi.Sarah Dowie: Do any of the freshwater improvement projects announced today involve irrigation schemes?Hon Dr NICK SMITH: Yes two of the projects do: one in Canterbury and the other in Tasman. The $1.1 million project from Environment Canterbury involves taking water from the Central Plains irrigation scheme to recharge the Hororata the Irwell and the Selwyn rivers resulting in improved volumes of water and improved quality and will significantly help a number of notable swimming sites. The Tasman proposal involves a partnership with the council and irrigators for the Waimea Community Dam in funding water storage for increasing summer recreation and ecological flows. This pragmatic approach shows that smartly designed water infrastructure can deliver both environmental and economic benefits consistent with this Government's blue-green approach.Hon David Parker: Does the Minister still believe his repeated statements that a swimmable standard is impossible for our rivers because of bird excrement volcanic soils and floods; if not what date did he flip-flop and if he cannot remember that date what date did he put a stop to bird excrement and floods?Hon Dr NICK SMITH: I am happy to line up on any day he likes the record of indecision that occurred over the 9 years of Labour on freshwater management and the progress that we have made. I would further point out that the swimming standards that this Government has proposed are even tighter than those in the only other jurisdiction that grades them—in Europe—and represent a substantive step forward for New Zealand.