Annual Review Debate — Primary Sector

Thank you very much. The primary sector is the key driver for the New Zealand economy, and it is crucial for New Zealand, going forward, that our primary sector actually delivers the investment and economic returns to our country going forward. We have seen in the last few months an attack on agriculture in the primary sector that has been expected with the change of Government, but the ferocity of it and the depth of it is something that is more than the sector would have expected.

It started with the changes around the dairy industry: the Dairy Industry Restructuring Act—the DIRA legislation—that should have just been a simple formality in this Parliament. But it turned into an opportunity for the Green Party to take over New Zealand First and the Labour Party and to do a—

CHAIRPERSON (Poto Williams): Order! Order! I do need to remind the chair of the Primary Production Committee that his contribution must be about the report back from the select committee. Thank you.

Yes. The select committee, in its report, has looked at the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), and part of that is the changes that will come about in the dairy industry. The Minister of Agriculture, Damien O’Connor, would be able to explain exactly why there have been those changes in the dairy sector, which will now look at areas such as land use change, environmental issues, and stocking rates, which is something that is extremely important to that industry going forward, when it could have been just a renewal of those DIRA provisions.

We have also seen the changes in MPI—a major change in the structure of that organisation—and with the breakup of MPI into four units, that really takes away some of the strength of that institution that has been known as the big support for the New Zealand primary sector. There have been a large number of staff that have left as a result of that change. We are seeing now what four separate units will mean for the primary sector, and that will be less development and less support for that sector.

When we look at that change, there’s also the Primary Growth Partnership, which is the research arm of investment into research and development. That is, essentially, being raided as well by this Government to pay for its promises in other areas, especially in the changes that you’re seeing in MPI.

There have also been major changes in the irrigation sector, with the removal of support for irrigation projects throughout New Zealand, which will be detrimental to the future of New Zealand’s primary sector. That may have a moral and legal obligation on the Government to fulfil some of those projects that have now been removed from the list that will be supported.

We also saw in mānuka honey a definition that was put to the Parliament in December that, because of legal action, was changed, and that definition should have been made on the basis of what is actually in the interests of the industry and not legal action.

So those are some of the things that have been happening in the primary sector that distinguish us from other parts of the parliamentary process that you’ve seen in the last few months, where there has been an attack on the processes involved.

I just want to also pay tribute to my good friend and colleague who will be speaking soon in this House, and I see there are a large number of members in support of him from his electorate and also from parliamentary leaders of the past that have come to support the Hon Dr Jonathan Coleman. Jonathan Coleman and I came into Parliament at the same time, and over that period of time he has been a great friend to us all and a great support to the National Party and to the people of Northcote. We just want to record, before your speech here today, our support, our thanks, and our gratitude for everything you’ve done for the National Party and for being such a good friend and supporter as well. I know that the health sector will be strongly rewarded by your leadership and your desire to make a difference in that area going forward, and we wish you all the best in your next endeavours in this area. We wish Sandra and the family—I presume you’re here, up there—all the best as well. It’s a great deal of time that you’ve had to put in, in support of Jonathan’s career in this parliamentary process, and everybody in this House will support you in the next steps. Thank you.

Madam Chair, thank you. It’s a great pleasure to get up here and speak on the review of the Primary Production Committee. Despite the dire outlook that was portrayed by David Bennett, the previous speaker—it seems to belie the latest Rabobank survey that showed farming confidence had increased 15 percent from the last survey, surging under this new Government. Of course, I note that the one issue that wasn’t raised in that previous contribution was the Mycoplasma bovis outbreak. Of course, it’s a very serious situation for all those farmers involved, and our hearts go out to them.

I listened to an extraordinary speech in the House a week or two back, when the previous Minister, Nathan Guy, got up and in an address in the House attempted to eviscerate the current Minister, in complete denial of the fact that this outbreak happened under his watch.

I’m very sorry to interrupt the member. According to a determination by the Business Committee, I will now report progress, and we can sit again presently.

House resumed.

Progress reported.

Report adopted.