Carter David: Resource Management (Waitaki Catchment) Amendment Bill — In Committee 
Carter David: Resource Management (Waitaki Catchment) Amendment Bill — In Committee 
[Volume:619;Page:15354] 
Hon DAVID CARTER (National) 
: 
 In the last hour my phone has been ringing hot with calls from farmers in the South Canterbury area. They have been ringing to ask me whether Jim Sutton is away on another overseas trip. They know we are debating the superb amendment moved by the Hon Dr Nick Smith. Those people are all constituents in the Aoraki electorate and they are keen to know whether Jim Sutton will vote for or against them. They want to know whether Jim Sutton is away on another overseas trip or is prepared to take part in the debate. I said to Mr Sutton’s constituents that I would go to the Chamber. Surprisingly I found Mr Sutton sitting in this Committee with his head hanging in shame because he is about to vote against his constituents and to give the water to Meridian Energy—the superb generating company that pays so much money to the Government coffers so the Government can spend it on very dubious advertising such as propaganda. To add insult to injury the Hon Jim Sutton is apparently the Minister of Agriculture. He more than anybody else on the Government side of the Committee should know the importance of irrigation to the whole of the Canterbury region. Yet Mr Sutton will shortly vote against the potential of irrigation. He will make sure that that Crown-owned enterprise Meridian Energy gets its fingers on all the water. That is an absolute disgrace. 
I went down to South Canterbury recently to attend a meeting organised by the Mayor of the Mackenzie District Stan Scorringe. I understand that man is to advance his name to stand for National in the Aoraki electorate. I have little doubt that if Mr Sutton fronts against the farmers on this issue he may as well stand and take his final valedictory before we close this debate. That man will be gone. When Nick Smith and many other members of the National caucus went down to the South Canterbury area they found that a commitment was given to the Mackenzie farmers in 1969 that should be honoured. We know that the word of many people on the Government side of the Committee is not worth much but on the Opposition side of the Committee members are honourable enough to stand by their word. This legislation will completely obliterate the commitment that was given to Mackenzie farmers in 1969. I say to Mr Sutton that that is wrong. 
When I was in South Canterbury with the potential next member for Aoraki Stan Scorringe I happened to meet with people who represent the Aoraki Water Trust. What huge potential there is for irrigating thousands of hectares provided the trust can get 1.7 percent of the water out of Lake Tekapo. I understand that Meridian Energy has put huge pressure on all Ministers to make sure that it can claim it owns not only the water after it has left Lake Tekapo but the water before it enters the river—in other words the water in the lake. I say that is wrong. If Mr Sutton was prepared to vote with us on the Opposition side of the Committee we might find that we would actually secure some water for the project of the Aoraki Water Trust. We would certainly be able to secure water for the Mackenzie Basin farmers. What huge potential that would add to that province. 
We have to wonder why Mr Sutton even bothers to come to Parliament as the member for Aoraki when he is prepared to turn his nose on those voters in Parliament today. We have to wonder what drives that man. 
Shane Ardern 
: He doesn’t come often. 
Hon DAVID CARTER 
: We do not see him much in Parliament; he says that he is busy overseas. However on this occasion he is here and he is in the Committee. He has heard the arguments so let us find out shortly which side he votes with. Does he really represent the Aoraki farmers or does he represent Helen Clark?