Grigg NicolaNICOLA GRIGG (National—Selwyn): I was thinking just earlier after hearing Damien O'Connor's contribution to the House followed by Meka Whaitiri's that we'd heard two valedictory speeches this evening and I think I can add a third to that list. Yet another five-minute diatribe just proving nothing but what a tin ear the Ministers of this Crown have. We hear nothing but denial and defence coming out from this Government. They are so so enthusiastic about rewriting history.The facts of the matter are the industry the 11 partnership groups of He Waka Eke Noa (HEWN) took a proposal to the Government. The Government has come back with its response just last week. It has dumped the parts that the farming sector was prepared to sign up to. That is what the so-called whinging and carping and griping" that Kieran McAnulty talks about is about because once again this industry has been roundly ignored by this Government. And yes we do on this side of the House stand by the fact that we will not support a pricing mechanism until the science and technology is in place otherwise it is not a levy; it is a tax. It is a tax on food while our country is in the grip of a cost of living crisis and this Government is doing nothing but to fan the flames of that crisis.Nobody on that side of the House is talking about the 20 percent of sheep and beef farms that are going to go out of business. By the Government's own numbers one in five sheep and beef farmers in this country will go out of business and they have the nerve to talk about this side of the House criticising them and not supporting this proposal. We would support this proposal if it was fair and if it was equitable. We have said from the outset that the National Party does support emissions pricing for the agricultural sector if there are fair and reasonable sequestration options in place; if there is the science and technology in place. We will not stand by a proposal that puts one in five of our sheep and beef farmers out of business. We will not stand by a proposal that sees our richest industry the industry that earns this country some money sent offshore to high-emitting farming countries. We will not stand by it we will not support it and I do not apologise for calling the Government out on it.If you don't want to hear it from me Mr McAnulty maybe have a look at the latest industry rag out this week. Here we go: "Govt 'fails fairness test' on HWEN". "HWEN has farmers upset over offsets". "Sector flags 'immediate concerns' on HWEN". There is no balancing of the ledger on the levy; take that from the people in the industry Mr McAnulty. And while Ms Whaitiri crows away about the farmers inviting her on to their place I'll tell you what: it ain't for tea and tinnies. It is to try in a desperate final attempt—in the six weeks they've got left it is to try and educate this Government as to what it is doing to our most productive sector. Fifteen percent of this country earns 50 percent of its revenue and you lot over that side of the House should pay wise words to that.Every single one of the industry groups the 11 groups that signed up to this thing have reacted angrily and have opposed the Government's response to it. Once again: you took their advice back in May; perhaps you best start listening to them now. As you keep saying they are the industry. They are the ones at the coal face. They are the ones who should know what they're talking about. Well they're telling you now: this thing does not work and the National Party wants to work with those groups and find something that will work. We are committed to reducing carbon emissions. We do agree the primary sector does need to pay its way and it plays an important part in designing a system designing its own process for recording and pricing those emissions. It can only happen though if farmers are allowed all options of sequestration. That includes shelterbelts; that includes riparian planting; that includes native bush and reserves. A National Government would invest in driving technology. It wouldn't just announce $300 million technology incentives and funds and just write a press release and put it out; it would actually invest. Come down to my electorate. Come and visit Lincoln Agritech and all those solutions are right there. They have been developed. They need some sort of system to commercialise them and incentivise them. I would suggest Mr McAnulty if you want me up in Marlborough having a look at the flood damage come down to my electorate take a look at the technology being developed down there put your money where your mouth is and start investing behind them."