Clark David: Crown Minerals (Permitting and Crown Land) Bill — Second Reading 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Clark David: Crown Minerals (Permitting and Crown Land) Bill — Second Reading 
[Sitting date: 21 March 2013. Volume:688;Page:8848. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
Dr DAVID CLARK (Labour—Dunedin North) 
: 
 The member who resumed his seat Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga currently has probably just about run out of crocodile tears for the families of New Zealand after issuing that view that this Crown Minerals (Permitting and Crown Land) Bill would be the silver bullet to save the economy as he was depicting it. Look we know that the mining industry in Australia to which he referred adds something to its economy. The truth is that it is a fraction of the wealth generated over there. Economic settings play a far bigger part in that story and this Government has an absolutely shameful record—a shameful record—on the economy. It is the worst economic record of any Government in the last 50 years. That is what is hurting our families. That is why people do not have jobs. [ 
Interruption 
] That is why 30000 jobs have gone from the economy in the last year Mr Bridges. David Shearer the leader of the Labour Party has asked from the beginning for a clean green—[ 
Interruption 
] 
The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (H V Ross Robertson) 
: Order! Can I just say that the member is making a forceful speech and that obviously there is a lot of noise. The Speaker will not allow a speaker to be drowned out. 
Dr DAVID CLARK 
: I thank you for that intervention Mr Speaker. I appreciate that my voice is a little quiet so I will try to speak over the member if he gets too noisy again. David Shearer said from the start of his time that he wants a clean green diversified economy that produces sustainable jobs. That vision is very different from what this Government is delivering. It is delivering a weaker economy with 30000 fewer jobs than the year before. It is delivering an economy focused only on the primary sector. We need a strong primary sector in this country but we do not need a monoculture. We need other industries to prosper also. I note that only recently I looked up the statistics again and saw that non - primary sector production in this country is down 10 percent under this Government. That is shameful. That is absolutely shameful and jobs are going with that. Inequality is growing because there are not sustainable jobs in this economy. 
The next point I wish to cover is around the fact that we did support this bill’s referral to the Commerce Committee because we wanted it to be explored further but we supported it to the select committee with some clear concerns. This Government has refused to address those concerns and those of submitters and so we are now forced to oppose this bill. This bill could have been a better thing. This bill could have actually delivered jobs in a sustainable way that cared for families looked out for New Zealanders looked out for the environment cared for health and safety concerns and benefited the local economy. But this Government is not interested in those things it seems. It is interested only in its mates and those who are behind the scenes trying to push through legislation that benefits one little segment and leaves the rest for dead. 
Labour does not oppose mining. Our history is linked with the West Coast mines but we believe that mining should be responsibly managed with good environmental stewardship and a long-term view of the industry and the country. Labour supports mining where it is done in a responsible safe and environmentally friendly way. We accept that we are going to need windmills. Windmills are made out of material that is mined. We need thermos flasks which are made out of material that is mined. We need those things that are produced through steel and steel is produced out of things that are mined. 
Those things can all be done in a sensible and responsible way but this Government’s mismanagement in the mining sector is another factor. Look at Solid Energy—the poster organisation for this Government. We have photos of Bill English turning over the first sod on the lignite project with Don Elder. Solid Energy is not doing that project now and that is because it took on debt. Solid Energy was encouraged to take on debt by this Government. It was a billion-dollar company an award-winning company under the previous Government— 
Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I know this member is exuberant in the delivery of his speeches but the substance of his speech is totally off topic from the bill that is being considered this afternoon. Can we ask the member to please come back to the Crown Minerals (Permitting and Crown Land) Bill. 
The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (H V Ross Robertson) 
: I was listening and the member could perhaps just narrow it a little bit. I know it is a big debate because you are talking about Crown minerals but let us just try to keep things within Standing Orders. 
Dr DAVID CLARK 
: As I was saying this Government has run Solid Energy into the ground and that is because of a lack of oversight and a lack of concern for how this sector is run. That is my point. This sector is being run in a shoddy fashion. It is not looking out for the interests of New Zealanders. Labour’s bottom lines on mining are—since that member asks—that there must be capacity to respond to accidents quickly and we have seen failures in that regard; there must be clear liability so taxpayers do not foot the bill for mistakes and we have seen this Government time and time again hand over responsibility for mistakes to the taxpayer; there must be robust protection of the natural environment and we do not see that here either; and there must be a benefit for the local economy. Solid Energy if we needed any illustration shows with all of those people put on to the dole queue that that is not happening under this Government. The local economy is suffering because of the mismanagement by this Government of the sector. 
Labour is opposed particularly to there being joint ministerial responsibility for mining on Crown land. This Government is determined to take the teeth out of the Minister of Conservation’s mouth. It is undermining—if you will excuse the pun—the Minister of Conservation at every step and the powers and role of the Minister are drawn into question. We agree with the concerns of the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment who stated that the Minister of Conservation will remain accountable for the conservation estate but is no longer in control. Labour is concerned about the economic benefit test to mining of the Department of Conservation estate. You have only to look back to those tens of thousands of people marching down Queen Street to get a really clear picture that the public is opposed to mining on sensitive land. This bill with its test there says “even if an activity is not compatible with the objectives and purpose of the Conservation Act the activity could still go ahead.” That shows you where this Government is sitting on this issue. It is not making that balance. It talks about balance but it is presenting an unbalanced piece of legislation. It is failing to deliver on jobs in the economy. [ 
Interruption 
] We have a little sideshow over there—it is a bit like the cycleway which was the big jobs project that never delivered. 
Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga 
: Don’t want jobs? 
Dr DAVID CLARK 
: There may be a job here or there digging on conservation land probably for the lawyers I would suggest Mr Lotu-Iiga but actually the real thing that needs to be addressed is the fundamental settings in the economy. 
A proper plan would address the fundamental problems in the economy Mr Lotu-Iiga and that would get jobs back on track. A sector plan is needed. This Government has produced none of that. This reliance on the extractive sector and on primary produce—you know New Zealand is reliant on those things. Our agricultural sector for example is about the same size as Denmark’s and has been for a long time but its export per capita now is three times that of New Zealand. Denmark has had a Government that is prepared to be hands-on with the economy that is prepared to actually take the issue of jobs in hand and that is prepared to grow the economy and not see wages fall year after year after year like they have under this Government. This Government does not care about the workers. It needs to adopt better legislation that actually addresses environmental concerns that addresses health and safety concerns and that really looks at the issues that are presented to select committees and considers what submitters say so that legislation can be improved for the benefit of every person in this country. 
Labour did support this bill going to select committee to give the select committee the opportunity to hear from those submitters and to make this into better legislation. Unfortunately this Government—this arrogant Government—like it always does ignored those submitters stepped away from the advice that was given and is determined to press on with its own vision which is not delivering jobs for this country which is not delivering jobs for New Zealanders and which is seeing our economy stutter.