Choudhary Ashraf: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members 
Choudhary Ashraf: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members 
[Volume:619;Page:15325] 
10.  
Dr ASHRAF CHOUDHARY (Labour) 
 to the  
Minister of Fisheries 
: What response has he received to the provisions contained in the Fisheries Amendment Bill (No 3) to manage species in the Quota Management System? 
Hon DAVID BENSON-POPE (Minister of Fisheries) 
: 
 I received yesterday a response to comments made during the second reading of the Fisheries Amendment Bill (No 3) about the introduction of mussel spat into the quota management system. In that response a mussel spat farmer directly affected by the bill wrote to National spokesperson Phil Heatley: “I find your arrogance and ignorance related to mussel spat absolutely astounding. Had I known just how narrow your blinkers were set I would not have wasted my time talking to you today. I have been an admirer of Mr Brash’s style but the trash you’ve been”— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: That was drawing a very long bow in answer to the original question. The first part was all right but then it went too far. 
Dr Ashraf Choudhary 
: Is New Zealand’s world-known quota management system widely accepted? 
Hon DAVID BENSON-POPE 
: Yes it is admired throughout the world. It has wide industry support and until yesterday it had broad cross-party support including the support of the National Party. But yesterday the National Party voted for the effective removal of kahawai from the— 
Gerry Brownlee 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. Why is the Minister who is being asked questions relating to his portfolio continually putting bogus policy positions up in the name of the National Party? He is not a competent Minister he is a relatively new Minister and he needs to understand that there is a way in which questions are answered. He has transgressed once today and you pointed that out to him. What he was just about to do is equally out of order and he should be called to account much more quickly. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I do not need any assistance. I thought the Minister answered the question and addressed the second question. He pointed out that a party had supported the issue and then opposed it. He is perfectly entitled to do that. 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. The Minister is quoting National Party policy and at no time has National ever said that it is opposed to the quota management system. The difficulty is this. When Ministers who have absolutely no responsibility for National Party policy make assertions that are blatantly incorrect what recourse is available to the Opposition? 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: Can I ask you to rule that responsibility for the passage of bills through the House is absolutely a core constitutional responsibility of a Minister and making sure he has the votes is absolutely part of his job and that the Minister was reporting on that matter. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Let me put it this way. What the member has just said is correct. What the Minister said in the first part of his answer was perfectly acceptable. I listened very carefully to the second question and the second answer and so far he has not transgressed. But that is it. 
Phil Heatley 
: Can the Minister confirm that the author of that letter is one Christopher Allen Hensley who according to the schedule in the Minister’s Supplementary Order Paper is now the largest beneficiary of mussel spat quota thanks to the Minister with an allocation of 27 million quota shares and can he confirm that that man now considers the Minister as his best friend? 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The first part of the question is in order. The Minister has no responsibility for the second part. 
Phil Heatley 
: Don’t you read the schedules? 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I do read things. The member is walking a very thin line. He knows that is out of order. He should be quiet while the Minister answers. 
Hon DAVID BENSON-POPE 
: Unlike the questioner I do not know the gentleman but I was delighted to receive the letter from him yesterday. I can confirm that he is a quota holder quite clearly. [ 
Interruption 
] 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Please be seated. That amount of noise is just ridiculous and members are being silly. I would ask the Opposition whip to have a word to his colleagues about that. I do not mind a bit of interjection but not that amount. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. When members on this side are subject to direction from you to be silent for a particular time you enforce it strictly. In this case Mr Heatley yelled out several times during that answer after you directly told him to be silent when the answer was being given. Is there one rule for us and one for them? 
Mr SPEAKER 
: No there is not. That is an objectionable comment and I would ask the member to stand withdraw and apologise. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: I withdraw and apologise. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. The Minister was asked whether the man who wrote the letter was a man called Hensley. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: He said yes. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: No he did not. He said he could confirm that he was a quota holder but he did not say that the name was Hensley. We are entitled to know who that man is. That is what the Minister was asked. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The Minister can answer that particular question. 
Hon DAVID BENSON-POPE 
: I am able to confirm that Mr Hensley also said to Mr Heatley—[ 
Interruption 
] 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Now the member will leave the Chamber. I have had enough. 
Phil Heatley 
: With pleasure. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: He will be named if he says another word. 
Phil Heatley withdrew from the Chamber. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Now the question was whether the person concerned was Mr Hensley. The answer is yes or no? 
Hon DAVID BENSON-POPE 
: The answer is yes. 
Jeanette Fitzsimons 
: Can the Minister confirm that the commitment he has given the Green Party to review thoroughly kahawai catch limits next year in the light of the much better scientific data he will collect over the year and his commitment to consider exclusion zones for purse-seine vessels offers a better outcome for recreational fishers than the Supplementary Order Paper to the bill that simply cancelled all catch limits? 
Hon DAVID BENSON-POPE 
: I am hopeful the current decisions which I believe appropriately address and recognise the importance of kahawai to recreational fishers will achieve the desired outcomes. But I am equally committed as a result of consultations with the Green Party to a review in 12 months’ time. As the questioner knows I have asked the ministry to direct an appropriate amount of budgeted funds for continued research into that recreational fishery. As she intimated I am prepared to consider exclusion zones should that prove to be necessary. 
Larry Baldock 
: Can the Minister confirm that those exact same terms and conditions that have been offered to the Green Party were offered to United Future prior to our requiring his support for the Supplementary Order Paper? 
Hon DAVID BENSON-POPE 
: I am rather surprised that the questioner does not yet realise that the amendments he moved which fortunately were rejected by the Committee of the whole House would have had the opposite effect to his stated intention. They would have led to chaos in the fishery and there would have been no constraints on the amount that commercial fishers could take. 
Larry Baldock 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I do not know what question he thought I asked but it certainly was not the one he gave an answer to. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I heard the member’s question and I heard the Minister’s answer. He directly addressed it. 
Hon DAVID BENSON-POPE 
: I seek leave to table the letter from Kaitaia Spat that I referred to earlier. 
Document by leave laid on the Table of the House.