Fitzsimons Jeanette: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Fitzsimons Jeanette: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:626;Page:21247] 
3.  
JEANETTE FITZSIMONS (Co-Leader—Green) 
 to the  
Minister of Conservation 
: What conservation goals led the Government to end the logging of indigenous forests on Crown-managed land? 
Hon CHRIS CARTER (Minister of Conservation) 
: 
 The Government protected indigenous forests on Crown-owned and managed land to help meet the goals of the New Zealand biodiversity strategy. These included maintaining and restoring a full range of remaining natural habitats and ecosystems to a healthy functioning condition. 
Jeanette Fitzsimons 
: Does the biodiversity strategy also apply under the sea; if so will he agree that the same goals should apply to the equally ancient underwater forests of tall corals and their multitude of associated species and what discussion has he had with his colleague the Minister of Fisheries about ways of protecting them? 
Hon CHRIS CARTER 
: Indeed it does and in fact in 2004 the Government adopted a strategy to protect deep-water biodiversity. 
David Parker 
: What other actions has the Government taken to meet the conservation goals of the biodiversity strategy? 
Hon CHRIS CARTER 
: We have increased funding for the Department of Conservation by over 40 percent enabling it to tackle weed and pest problems better than ever before. We have embarked on the most ambitious island pest eradication programme found anywhere in the world. Large new areas of forest high-country and coastal land have been protected as public conservation land. Eleven new marine reserves have been created and 2 percent of our exclusive economic zone is now in some form of marine protection. 
Jim Peters 
: What goal motivated the Government to give the West Coast councils $120 million of taxpayers’ money to cut taxpayer-owned forests yet that Minister denied many SILNA landowners compensation for the Government’s denial of their right to realise the economic value of the lands awarded to them by this House in 1906? 
Hon CHRIS CARTER 
: I know that it was National that exempted the SILNA forests from an amendment to the Forests Act in 1993. By the time National was thrown out of office in 1999 it had not resolved the issues. This Government adopted a comprehensive policy for SILNA forests in 2002. 
David Parker 
: Has the Minister seen any reports that some of the indigenous forests protected since 1999 could be at risk? 
Hon CHRIS CARTER 
: Indeed I have. I have seen a recent report that Don Brash and Nick Smith had called for resumption of logging of the West Coast native forests which were protected under the Labour Government. 
Jeanette Fitzsimons 
: Is it not true that conservation goals would be assisted better if his strategy required all fishing methods to undergo environmental impact assessment as the Greens have proposed and what representations is his department making to advance this? 
Hon CHRIS CARTER 
: My department—indeed the Government—is very committed to the defence of New Zealand’s unique marine biodiversity. Different Government departments continue to collaborate closely on that issue. 
Jeanette Fitzsimons 
: Has he seen the recent Greenpeace photos in the 
 New Zealand Herald  
today and on television on Sunday in which New Zealand fishing vessels are shown hauling up then dumping over the side giant corals and rare sea creatures and how long does he think it is acceptable for that practice to continue? 
Hon CHRIS CARTER 
: Indeed I have seen those photographs but I am pleased to announce that today my colleague David Benson-Pope the Minister of Fisheries announced that New Zealand together with Chile and Australia would lead development of a regional fisheries management agreement that will give greater protection to high-seas biodiversity. 
Jeanette Fitzsimons 
: Returning to New Zealand’s economic zone rather than the high seas does he agree with marine biologist Dr Steve O’Shea of Auckland University of Technology as reported in today’s  
New Zealand Herald 
 who describes bottom trawling as “absolute annihilation” and goes on to say: “There should be some urgency. For God’s sake let’s do something practical now before it’s too late.”; if so what will he do in New Zealand waters? 
Hon CHRIS CARTER 
: Indeed I do agree with those comments but as there is no international proposal at the moment for a complete moratorium on bottom trawling New Zealand is working closely with Australia to develop a regional agreement.