2. Land Information New Zealand—Riversdale Flats and Proposed Sale of Mt White StationEUGENIE SAGE (Green) to the Minister for Land InformationLand Information New Zealand—Riversdale Flats and Proposed Sale of Mt White Station2. EUGENIE SAGE (Green) to the Minister for Land Information: Has he asked Land Information New Zealand to withdraw the 997-hectare Riversdale Flats from the proposed sale of Mt White Station pastoral lease; if not why not?Hon NATHAN GUY (Minister for Primary Industries) on behalf of the Minister for Land Information: No; because Land Information New Zealand cannot do that as the flats are included in the pastoral lease which is legally binding. I acknowledge that there is conflicting legal status around the land. That is why the Commissioner of Crown Lands is working on options to resolve this very complicated issue.Eugenie Sage: Is the Minister saying that he and Land Information New Zealand can ignore a 1901 Gazette notice which set aside Riversdale Flats as a reserve for national park and which should have seen the land become part of Arthur's Pass National Park?Hon NATHAN GUY: No if the member had listened to the answer to the primary question I said that this is a very complicated issue and indeed if I refer to the letter that was sent to the member earlier this week from Land Information New Zealand it said that the Commissioner of Crown Lands is currently investigating options to resolve the land known as Riversdale Flats.Eugenie Sage: I seek leave to table a June 2002 report by McGregor Property Services entitled Due Diligence Report for Tenure Review: Mt White which refers to the land status of Riversdale Flats as reserved for national park.Mr SPEAKER: Leave is sought to table that particular document. Is there any objection? There is none. It can be tabled.Document by leave laid on the Table of the House.Eugenie Sage: How will the Minister ensure that Riversdale Flats is included in Arthur's Pass National Park as they are supposed to be to protect their native plants wildlife and landscape for their own sake and so that all New Zealanders can enjoy them?Hon NATHAN GUY: Well I think I have already alluded to the answer to that question by referring to the letter that was sent to the member that says that the commissioner is indeed investigating options.Eugenie Sage: Does the Minister agree with botanist Sir Alan Mark that our native short tussock grassland ecosystems like this one in this picture are best protected in public ownership and managed as a critically important public good resource."?Hon NATHAN GUY: I have some sympathy with New Zealanders who really adore the outdoors—and indeed I am one of those persons. But what I can say is that this issue is very complicated the Commissioner of Crown Lands is looking at it and we need to wait for that process to work its way through.Eugenie Sage: Does it disturb him that real estate company Colliers International is promoting the Riversdale reserve land as having great scope for agricultural development which risks seeing land that should have been part of the national park being destroyed?Hon NATHAN GUY: I am aware that Colliers is promoting the lease. It is interesting that in the last 6 months there have been no applications through to the department from any foreign interest.Eugenie Sage: Why has the Minister not taken notice of the 2007 Arthur's Pass National Park Management Plan and the Department of Conservation's 2016 Canterbury (Waitaha) Conservation Management Strategy which both provide for Riversdale Flats reserve to be added to the national park; and why is he only now getting around to dealing with it?Hon NATHAN GUY: Well I think I have already addressed that question in some detail and the letter refers to it. In fact I seek leave to table a letter from Land Information New Zealand to the member dated 25 July 2017.Mr SPEAKER: Leave is sought to table that particular letter dated 25 July this year. Is there any objection? There is none. It can be tabled.Document by leave laid on the Table of the House.Eugenie Sage: Is he concerned that with the pastoral lease being sold the new owner could block public access to the Hawdon and Andrews Valleys in the national park if he does not immediately correct this past mistake and ensure that Riversdale Flats becomes part of the park?Hon NATHAN GUY: I know that the Commissioner of Crown Lands is well aware of the issue that the member is raising. He is working through a process and we need to wait for that process to conclude."