Webb DuncanDr DUNCAN WEBB (Chairperson of the Environment Committee): Tēnā koe Mr Chairman. Look first of all I just want to start on a sombre note. It arose in our Estimates hearings that Dr Edward Hearnshaw who had provided advice to the Environment Committee tragically died in the Ruahine Forest Park. He was an economist who provided us very useful advice on climate change. I just wanted to take this moment to record that and record the sadness of his passing. He worked with the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment.The Estimates were as always a useful insight into the operations of both conservation and environment. Conservation provoked particular interest given the COVID circumstances. One of the points that came up was the loss of income from the conservation and tourism levy and also the issue of concession fees. At that time there had been some media attention around concession fees and the fact that obviously concession operators didn't have the income in some cases to meet them—and I note for the record that that has now been addressed by the Minister giving considerable relaxation and forgiveness of those fees.Other things that were of particular interest—and I know some other members will touch on other matters but the whitebait regulations and the progression of that was of considerable interest as well along with the forever relevant and pertinent Himalayan tahr situation and that matter has been addressed by the court. It was very good to see the Minister of Conservation the Hon Eugenie Sage committed to the preservation of our fragile alpine environments.In respect of the environment Vote there are a number of matters that stood out there as well. Really the headline issue there is the freshwater initiatives and that has obviously seen considerable progress under this Minister and also the Minister was questioned and may want to touch on the cost-benefit analysis of those freshwater initiatives and the fact that the cost-benefit analysis made it clear that it was a net gain to embark on this particularly due to positive health effects cleaner water and less water-borne disease and also some other things that weren't taken into account such as the clean green brand of New Zealand that is going to be enhanced through this—so arguably the costs are lesser and the benefits are even greater again.Obviously the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management was a key matter and those issues of winter grazing and also nitrogen levels. There was some discussion around the amount of nitrogen whether the balance had been struck at 190 kilograms of nitrogen per hectare per year whether that was the right amount—the general sense seems to be that it is. It's fair to say that whilst some croppers thought it should be greater there was an equally large body of opinion that suggested that in fact it was too great indeed.The other thing that the Minister may want to talk about is the progress of resource management legislation. Obviously there has been some work in this space throughout the course of this Parliament. Some discussion in the select committee existed around the progress of the inquiry into the Resource Management Act and where that's at and indeed some discussion around what the shape of that might be like as well as the COVID-19 Recovery (Fast-track Consenting) Bill with those 11 projects which have been—or greater than 11 now—fast tracked.Also relevant of course was the headliner of climate change the fact that the Climate Change Response Act and the emissions trading scheme is well in place and the regulations now which will be actually implementing those will be coming. I'm interested to know any movement there.There was some discussion around the Green Investment Fund another fund which rightly was pointed out that it has taken a while to get the money into the public sphere but it was good to see the Wellington announcement come out in respect of greening the port making Wellington port carbon neutral.So overall very useful. All of the Ministers came to the party answered very fulsomely the questions put from both sides of the table. There was also just some discussion around climate change adaptation and how that will be addressed what kind of legislative instruments will be part of perhaps the next Parliament and what the Minister's thinking is around there.