7. Question No. 7—ConservationHon JACQUI DEAN (National—Waitaki) to the Minister of ConservationQuestion No. 7—Conservation7. Hon JACQUI DEAN (National—Waitaki) to the Minister of Conservation: Does she stand by all her statements and actions in regards to tahr management in New Zealand?Hon EUGENIE SAGE (Minister of Conservation): Yes in the context in which they were made or taken. As Minister of Conservation I stand by the work that the Department of Conservation is doing to implement the Himalayan Tahr Control Plan to ensure that the tahr population in the iconic Southern Alps is managed in accordance with that statutory plan. Over the last 2½ years there has been extensive consultation with hunting groups and control is now under way to bring tahr numbers down to a more sustainable level.Hon Jacqui Dean: What is the total value to New Zealand's economy of commercial and recreational tahr hunting in New Zealand?Hon EUGENIE SAGE: I have heard estimates of around $14 million but I would note that the borders are now closed so the commercial trophy hunting industry does not have a lot of clients. I would also note that the national parks that she and the Tahr Foundation have been worried about in the last five years there was an average of only 65 bull tahr which were shot as commercial trophy animals and so 65 tahr in national parks is a niche industry not a major one.Hon Jacqui Dean: Does she agree that recreational and commercial tahr hunters add economic value to the regions of New Zealand including the South Island's West Coast?Hon EUGENIE SAGE: If the member read the Himalayan Tahr Control Plan she would see that it recognises the value of recreational and commercial hunting. However those hunters have failed to get tahr numbers down to the level that the plan provides for—an upper limit of 10000 animals. That is why official control is needed and I'm disappointed that the National Party—and that member—is turning its back on national parks as a safe haven for our indigenous plants and wildlife.Hon Jacqui Dean: Does she consider that expenditure by commercial and recreational tahr hunters on accommodation on travel hospitality ammunition and gear supports regional economies?Hon EUGENIE SAGE: What I'm concerned about is the threats that are being made to commercial helicopter operators which are causing those operators to retreat from work they have been doing for decades in controlling tahr in the central Southern Alps. What I'm concerned about is the threats of violence that are being made to the department and to those operators and they are reported to the police. Hon Jacqui Dean: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. The question was quite specific. I was asking whether the Minister considered that expenditure by commercial and recreational tahr hunters supported regional economies. I did not hear the Minister address that question at all.SPEAKER: I thought she started with a yes but I'm not—I'll just ask her to confirm that.Hon EUGENIE SAGE: There is regional economic benefit from tahr hunting but the misinformation that is being put about by the Tahr Foundation and others that there is a plan to eradicate tahr is simply that—misinformation. When these control operations are completed there will still be thousands of tahr across thousands of hectares which recreational and commercial trophy hunters can go out and hunt.Hon Jacqui Dean: Does she believe that tahr control supported by recreational and commercial hunters and the revenue they generate to the tune of $17 million per annum is an important part of our economic recovery post COVID-19?Hon EUGENIE SAGE: The member may not have noticed but the borders are closed which means that a lot of those international trophy hunters cannot come to New Zealand at present. It is open for recreational hunters to go and hunt tahr and the Department of Conservation has an app on its website which shows where control operations have been undertaken and there will be thousands of tahr available for recreational and commercial hunters to hunt.Hon Jacqui Dean: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. My question again was quite specific. I did ask the Minister—SPEAKER: And I'm absolutely convinced that it was not only addressed but answered.