1. Question No. 1—ConservationCHLÖE SWARBRICK (Green—Auckland Central) to the Minister of ConservationORAL QUESTIONSQUESTIONS TO MINISTERSQuestion No. 1—Conservation1. CHLÖE SWARBRICK (Green—Auckland Central) to the Minister of Conservation: Does she consider 18 percent marine protection areas is adequate for the Hauraki Gulf; if not will she work with iwi and hapū to increase protection to 30 percent as called for by Forest & Bird?Hon POTO WILLIAMS (Minister of Conservation): The Revitalising the Gulf strategy we released in June last year responds to the call for action we received in the 2017 Sea Change - Tai Timu Tai Pari Hauraki Gulf marine spatial plan and has been designed with input from mana whenua local communities and industry. It's a piece of work that will help us protect the long-term health of the Hauraki Gulf. As proposals currently stand we will see the marine protection within the gulf increase from just over 6 percent to 18 percent. The proposals have been designed to protect the gulf and I do consider that they will help us achieve this goal. However the proposals are currently being consulted on and are subject to final decisions by myself and the Minister for Oceans and Fisheries. Submissions close at 5 p.m. tomorrow and I encourage everyone with an interest on this piece of work to make a submission.Chlöe Swarbrick: Does she agree with retaining trawling corridors in the Hauraki Gulf or does she consider that the marine conservation value of the gulf requires it to be closed to trawling?Hon POTO WILLIAMS: As I have said we are in a process of taking submissions on this and final decisions will be made by the Minister for Oceans and Fisheries and myself and we look forward to people with an interest on this matter making submissions.Chlöe Swarbrick: How then will the proposed protections interface with the many rāhui that iwi and hapū have placed in efforts to protect Tīkapa Moana?Hon POTO WILLIAMS: As I said in my primary answer we have worked alongside iwi to ensure that the proposals we have put in place are fit for purpose and we encourage people with a view on this to make those submissions.Chlöe Swarbrick: Does the Government plan to continue to allow mining and dumping outside of the high-protected areas of the Hauraki Gulf in any special legislation to establish the areas despite knowing full well that its ecosystem is on the brink of collapse"?Hon POTO WILLIAMS: In regards to mining the proposals within Revitalising the Gulf which bring marine protection of the gulf up to around 18 percent—these protected areas will prohibit bottom trawling and harmful bottom contact activities. This includes a complete prohibition on mining including sand mining. This will protect some of the most vulnerable ecosystems from harmful human activity.Chlöe Swarbrick: Point of order. The question was about whether mining and dumping will be allowed to continue outside of those high-protected areas. SPEAKER: I'm pretty sure the Minister addressed that.Chlöe Swarbrick: The Minister addressed what's to occur inside of those high-protected areas.SPEAKER: Yeah I don't think there are any Standing Orders that say that you can argue with my ruling.Hon Eugenie Sage: Is she actively considering changing the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park Act to give the Hauraki Gulf Forum substantive decision-making powers so it can do more than chart the ongoing decline in the health of the gulf?Hon POTO WILLIAMS: In relation to the work that the Government is doing the Government has already taken a number of actions to protect our marine environment. We've established an oceans and fisheries portfolio we're requiring cameras on up to 300 commercial inshore fishing vessels by 2024 and the work to restore the health of the Hauraki Gulf is part of the Revitalising the Gulf initiative. This includes establishing 19 new marine protected areas and restricting trawl fishing to selected corridors.Hon Eugenie Sage: Point of order. The question was about the Hauraki Gulf Forum. The Minister didn't address that at all.SPEAKER: Can you repeat the question for me again.Hon Eugenie Sage: Thank you. Is she actively considering changing the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park Act 2000 to give the Hauraki Gulf Forum substantive decision-making powers so it can do more than chart the ongoing decline in the health of the gulf?SPEAKER: Yeah there are three parts to that and it's definitely been—at least one part of it was addressed.Chlöe Swarbrick: If the feedback from public consultation to which the Minister has referred throughout her answers this afternoon demands that the Government increases its ambition in the Hauraki Gulf will the Minister increase protected areas to 30 percent in line with international consensus on ocean protection?Hon POTO WILLIAMS: We will consider the submissions as they are presented to us."