7. Conservation Department—FundingJAMES SHAW (Co-Leader—Green) to the Minister of ConservationConservation Department—Funding7. JAMES SHAW (Co-Leader—Green) to the Minister of Conservation: Does she stand by her statement that Vote Conservation has not been cut?Hon Dr NICK SMITH (Minister for the Environment) on behalf of the Minister of Conservation: Yes. Vote Conservation is estimated this year to be $451 million and that compares with $362 million in the last year of the previous Government.James Shaw: When adjusted for inflation has Vote Conservation been cut since her Government took office?Hon Dr NICK SMITH: Inflation has been at record low levels and that is good news for households as well as for departments like the Department of Conservation (DOC). But if you calculate the increase that the Department of Conservation received in this year's Budget as compared with that in the last full year of the previous Government it is more of an increase than that from inflation.James Shaw: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. My question was short straight and factual. It was whether Vote Conservation has been inflation-adjusted since her Government took office not in the last 12 months.Mr SPEAKER: I am going to invite the member to repeat the question.James Shaw: When adjusted for inflation has Vote Conservation been cut since her Government took office?Hon Dr NICK SMITH: I repeat the figures: in the last full year of the previous Government the Department of Conservation's budget was $362 million. The estimated budget for this year is $451 million. If the member calculates that is an increase greater than the rate of inflation.James Shaw: I seek leave to table this graph prepared by the Parliamentary Library which shows cuts to real funding for Vote Conservation since National took office.Mr SPEAKER: I will put the leave and the House can decide. Leave is sought to table that particular graph. Is there any objection? There is none. It can be tabled.Document by leave laid on the Table of the House.James Shaw: Does she now accept that when adjusted for inflation Vote Conservation has been cut since her Government took office?Hon Dr NICK SMITH: No and can I give you a very simple example of why the member's figures are incorrect. In the 2008 year the previous Government as the member will recall spent $40 million on the St James Station. That artificially increased the appropriation in that year but was actually taken from the budget for the next 7 years for the Nature Heritage Fund. Labour did that quite openly—it raided the fund to buy that particular station. But that distorts a fair assessment of what the actual level of commitment has been by this Government to the important work of conservation.James Shaw: So is she saying that the corrosive effects of 13 percent inflation since 2008 have had no impact on the Department of Conservation's operating budget?Hon Dr NICK SMITH: No the Minister is not saying that; what the Minister is saying is that this year she secured $28 million for the Predator Free 2050 initiative. In last year's Budget she secured more than $11 million for the kiwi recovery initiative. In this year's Budget she also secured—James Shaw: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker.Hon Dr NICK SMITH: —with the Minister for Primary Industries $4 million for wilding pines. The member also secured substantive funding—Mr SPEAKER: Order! [Interruption] Order! I was diverted trying to attract the Minister's attention to bring his answer to a conclusion. Point of order James Shaw.James Shaw: Thank you Mr Speaker.Mr SPEAKER: What is the point of order?James Shaw: My question again was about the effect of inflation on DOC's budget—Mr SPEAKER: Order! [Interruption] Order! No no absolutely wrong. On this occasion the Minister with his very first word answered the question. He was then given some significant lenience to explain why he had said no. I was pleased to see that the answer was finally coming to a conclusion.James Shaw: What if anything will she do about making up the cumulative shortfall of $424 million in real terms to DOC's budget over the last 8 years?Hon Dr NICK SMITH: The member is not listening to the answers. Let me give it in very simple terms: this year's estimated DOC budget is $451 million. In the last full year of the previous Government it was $362 million. That is an increase. That shows the commitment that this National Government has got to the important work of the Department of Conservation.James Shaw: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. The Minister was not clear whether those figures were nominal or real-terms funding and that was the nature of the question.Mr SPEAKER: Then that is a debating issue or a topic for a further supplementary question. But on this occasion again the Minister has addressed the question that was asked.