Jones Shane: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeJones Shane: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 18 April 2013. Volume:689;Page:9548. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]7.Hon SHANE JONES (Labour) to theAssociate Minister for Primary Industries: Has she seen the Manley Report which found that large forest owners intend to deforest 39000 hectares between now and 2020 and what action will she take to promote policy that encourages forestry?Hon JO GOODHEW (Associate Minister for Primary Industries): Yes I have seen this report. To put the finding into perspective the intended deforestation accounts for less than 0.5 percent per annum of the total planted forest area of 1.7 million hectares. However deforestation intentions need to be looked at with an understanding of the factors that can influence the final result. These include changes in the carbon price over time perceptions around land use economics and access to water. In terms of actions to promote forestry this Government has a strong focus on improving the business and regulatory environment to support economic growth of all businesses including those in the primary sector.Hon Shane Jones: Given that answer what steps has she taken to enable forest product exporters to realise the $12 billion 10-year figure when they are reporting that New Zealand exports are encountering barriers because overseas purchasers want to know that the source of the timber is not illegal?Hon JO GOODHEW: I can assure the member that we have taken many steps. We have for instance introduced a permitting system to allow longer and heavier trucks reducing transport costs which improves the profitability of forest growing. I can assure the member that the Ministry for Primary Industries is currently working with the sector on the issue of illegal logging. I can assure the member that we are improving the Resource Management Act speeding up the process and reducing costs and uncertainty. We are making investment—significant investment—in infrastructure including roads. Those are my assurances to the member.Hon Shane Jones: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. My question was directed at impediments that exporters in the forestry sector are encountering that they are unable to assure overseas purchasers about the illegality of the timber—not bridges definitely or roads.Mr SPEAKER: And within that quite lengthy answer I recall some mention of working internationally with regard to illegality. The question was addressed.Hon Shane Jones: What actions is the Minister taking to assist small-scale forest owners to become better coordinated and organised to fully realise the economic potential of their 500000 hectares of timber given they say they cannot even get a meeting with the Minister?Hon JO GOODHEW: Well I will begin with the latter part of the question. I am unaware of anyone having been refused the opportunity to meet with me and I have met with many groups from the sector since becoming the responsible Minister. In fact I have come to understand what an extremely diverse sector it is. I have come to understand that not only are there the very large forest owners or those owners who have large areas under their ownership but also in this diverse sector there are many many tens of thousands of owners who own a small amount of land. I can assure you that I have met and discussed the industry’s ideas for working to make a more coordinated approach. All of this Government’s intentions around making the Business Growth Agenda will certainly be assisting all of the forestry owners be they large or small.Hon Shane Jones: Given that there are 18000 jobs at stake in the forestry sector what policies is she promoting to enable New Zealand - based manufacturers to continue in business given that they are being priced out of the market by foreign-owned log sellers?Hon JO GOODHEW: I have already outlined to the member the many changes that we intend to make in the business and regulatory environment. However this Government has no intentions of interfering with market forces.