Tirikatene RinoRINO TIRIKATENE (Labour—Te Tai Tonga): Thank you Madam Chair. I am pleased to speak in this Estimates debate on the primary industries and I must acknowledge the previous speaker Mr McKelvie a sheep and beef farmer of note from the Rangitīkei speaking so passionately about the fishing industry and the aquaculture industry. That just goes to show the passion which members and former members of the Primary Production Committee have across all of our primary industries. Whether it is viticulture sheep and beef dairy forestry we're all represented in that committee and we gave quite a thorough examination of the primary industries.I want to give a bouquet to the Minister for the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) the Hon Damien O'Connor for the outstanding job that he has been doing in leading our primary sectors in what are challenging times and in particular how he has responded to the threat of Mycoplasma bovis and the investments which this Government are now putting into the eradication of that nasty organism. And that has been testament to the leadership of Mr O'Connor and of course our coalition Government. It not only spans the MPI sector but I must acknowledge the great team that we have within our coalition Government because our primary industries are so important that we have dedicated Ministers now who are specialists and who are focusing right across the primary sectors—if we look at Te Uru Rākau with the Hon Shane Jones and the great work that he's doing in the forestry sector. He's literally rejuvenated that forestry sector right across Aotearoa right from opening headquarters in regional New Zealand. So he has absolutely been the first citizen for the regions with the work that he's doing in championing our forestry sector. So I commend him for that.I must also go on to commend Minister Nash for his great work that he's doing across the fisheries sector and I must also include Minister Sage for her work because a lot of what they are doing in the fisheries sector involves spanning and looking at complicated complex issues around marine protected areas sustainability right through the supply chain into our export markets. So that just demonstrates the cohesiveness that we have with our outstanding Ministers that are leading in these portfolio areas. And I guess what further better proof do we have that we're doing a great job in these sectors than one only needs to look at the increase in the export revenues that we are generating across these sectors. If you look at the seafood sector in particular there are record export revenues record export growth—$2.1 billion. We're into the two-billion figure now for fisheries. Likewise in the forestry sector a 16 percent increase—$6.4 billion. So the numbers are going up across the board. Of course we are aware of the challenges that we face. We don't take it for granted whether it's a brown stinkbug or other nasties or organisms. We know how important our industries are and Mr O'Connor and our wider team are right on top of all of these threats that we face and are also looking to grow our sectors into the future.That's what we want to see: thriving primary industries which are sustaining our families and our regions up and down the country—the sweat and toil that goes on on the land or on the sea—which is done in a sustainable way which is earning outstanding export revenues and wealth back to our country. So I do stand in support of the Estimates across our primary industries. Our Ministers are doing an outstanding job and I'm looking forward to supporting their additional measures that they will be putting through as we continue through the course of this Parliament. Thank you Madam Chair.