4. JO GOODHEW (National—Rangitata) Link to this
to the Minister of Agriculture
What new initiatives is MAF taking to support water augmentation schemes around New Zealand?
Hon Dr NICK SMITH (Minister for the Environment) Link to this
Today the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry has announced five new schemes, which are to receive Government support of $1.9 million from the Community Irrigation Fund for technical design work. They are the Lee Valley community water augmentation storage dam in Nelson, the Hunter Downs irrigation scheme in South Canterbury, the Maungaroa irrigation scheme in the Bay of Plenty, the Mayfield-Hinds irrigation scheme, and the Ashburton-Lyndhurst irrigation scheme in Rangitata. These proposals have the potential to grow horticultural and agricultural exports by more than $200 million a year. These initiatives show that the Government is committed to improving rural infrastructure and to helping rebalance the economy towards productive exports.
What changes has the Government made to the eligibility criteria of the Community Irrigation Fund that has enabled this support to be given?
Hon Dr NICK SMITH Link to this
The Minister of Agriculture has been concerned that the criteria were too narrow and did not enable support for technical design work, which is critical for getting projects to the point of consenting and securing capital investment. None of this design work could have been funded from this scheme without the changes initiated by the Minister. These changes have enabled the maximum benefit to be secured for the communities from the Community Irrigation Fund.
Hon Damien O’Connor Link to this
Will the Government reinstate the $80 million taken from the Drinking-water Assistance Programme put in place to help rural communities access safe drinking-water; or does he think that irrigation of dairy land is more important than rural New Zealanders getting safe drinking-water?
Hon Dr NICK SMITH Link to this
The first point I make is that this Government is committed to the productive investment that will enable the growth of our export industries. The difficulty with the policy of the previous Government is that it set a “Rolls-Royce” standard for drinking water, yet the amount of funding that was provided from local government was less than 5 percent of what was required. This Government is committed to exports and growth. It is a pity that exports flat-lined from 2002 under the previous Government.
Jacqui DeanWhat steps is the Government taking to ensure community engagement and good environment outcomes with the Community Irrigation Fund?
Hon Dr NICK SMITH Link to this
The very purpose of the fund is to help local communities find local solutions to challenges over water management so as to grow our primary industries in a sustainable way. The Government has also initiated a nationwide dialogue on improving New Zealand’s freshwater management through the Land and Water Forum, which begins tonight in Nelson and proceeds with 13 public workshops around New Zealand. This blue-green approach, with both the Community Irrigation Fund and the Land and Water Forum, is about growing the economy and looking after the environment. I know that concept is foreign to members opposite.