Carter David: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Carter David: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:626;Page:21250] 
6.  
Hon DAVID CARTER (National) 
 to the  
Associate Minister for Rural Affairs 
: When will he introduce legislation to implement the Government’s decisions on the walking access policy? 
Hon JIM SUTTON (Associate Minister for Rural Affairs) 
: 
 A bill has yet to be drafted. I intend to introduce it when it is ready. 
Hon David Carter 
: Does the Government’s proposed policy have the support of all departments and ministries; if so how does he explain the advice from the Ministry for the Environment dated 22 October 2004 stating that it remains “unconvinced about the nature of the problem and the rationale for Government intervention.”? 
Hon JIM SUTTON 
: The policy decisions that have been made to date have the support of all Ministers. 
Hon David Carter 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. I did not ask whether it had the support of all Ministers. I asked whether it had the support of departments and ministries. 
Hon JIM SUTTON 
: It certainly has the support of the departments and ministries for which I have responsibility. I have no reason to doubt that the ministry quoted by the member is now convinced of the need for the legislation. 
Gerrard Eckhoff 
: What is the Minister’s response to the condemnation of his proposed legislation by recreational groups such as Public Access New Zealand the Deerstalkers Association the Federation of Freshwater Anglers and also what is the significance of the review of the job of Bryce Johnson—his major advocate—chief executive officer of the Fish and Game Council by the board of the New Zealand Council of Outdoor Recreation Associations which according to reliable information has voted 7:5 to sack him due to his anti-rural and rural-bashing campaigns? 
Hon JIM SUTTON 
: My understanding of the coalition of outdoor recreation associations is that its actual position is that it wants the walking policy to go ahead even though it does not go as far as it would like. 
Jeanette Fitzsimons 
: Why did he write to Mr Webber of South Head Kaipara who complained that Carter Holt Harvey had planted two rotations of pine forest on a legal paper road denying the public access to Muriwai beach stating that he should pursue the matter through the courts and does the Government’s policy on public access exempt forestry companies from the law? 
Hon JIM SUTTON 
: The forestry companies are not exempt from the law in any way as far as I know. I have no recollection of the correspondence concerned. 
Larry Baldock 
: Can the Minister give an assurance to the House and to the hundreds of thousands from the recreational sector that this long-awaited access legislation will be introduced before the election this year; if not why not? 
Hon JIM SUTTON 
: It is certainly my intention to progress the bill to a stage where it can be introduced before the election but because I do not know the timing of the election I cannot provide an absolute assurance. 
Hon David Carter 
: Will the Minister confirm today that this Government’s policy is opposed by Land Information New Zealand which says that the policy has: “serious implications for property rights” and that it is also opposed by Treasury which says it: “does not see the benefits of the policy outweighing the detriment” and what is the opinion of the New Zealand Police? 
Hon JIM SUTTON 
: I can assure the member that under this Government it is the elected members and their Cabinet who set the policy not bureaucrats. 
Larry Baldock 
: Has the Minister read the United Future and Outdoor Recreation NZ policy called  
Practical Access to New Zealand’s Great Outdoors 
 and if so given its common-sense and balanced approach to the access issue and the fact that the Government will need United Future’s support for the passage of the access legislation will he assure farmers that they have nothing to fear from the intended proposals? 
Hon JIM SUTTON 
: As it happens I have read the policy mentioned by the member although I did not see anything about walking access in it. However I acknowledge the strong loyalty of United Future to outdoor recreationists and I can assure them that in my judgment the farmers of New Zealand should in their own enlightened self-interest welcome that policy. 
Hon David Carter 
: In light of his earlier answer that this matter will be decided by politicians and not bureaucrats can he assure the House that he has the full support of the Maori caucus for his land access policy particularly in light of Te Puni Kokiri’s advice that Maori land should be excluded because it breaches article 2 of the Treaty of Waitangi which provides Maori with “full exclusive and undisturbed possession of their Lands”? 
Hon JIM SUTTON 
: I am confident I have the support of my colleagues. 
Hon David Carter 
: I seek leave to table the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry paper addressed to the Minister for Rural Affairs and the Associate Minister for Rural Affairs dated 22 October 2004. 
Document by leave laid on the Table of the House. 
Gerrard Eckhoff 
: I seek leave of the House to table the article in the  
New Zealand Herald  
on Sunday which clearly states that the so-called Maori caucus has huge reservations about the proposed legislation. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection? There is objection.