9. SHANE ARDERN (National—Taranaki - King Country) Link to this
to the Minister for Biosecurity
What steps has the Government recently taken to protect New Zealand’s kauri forests?
Hon DAVID CARTER (Minister for Biosecurity) Link to this
There is more good news. The Government is delighted to announce that it is injecting an additional $4.7 million of funding into a programme to save kauri trees threatened by kauri dieback disease. This will bring total Government funding for a 5-year programme aimed at containing this soil-borne disease to almost $10 million. It is a true demonstration of this Government’s commitment to protect this treasured species from what is a very serious biosecurity threat.
New Zealand’s ancient kauri forests are an important part of our heritage, they are of huge significance to Māori, and they are vital to our native ecosystem. The kauri dieback disease is relatively unknown, but it poses a major threat to kauri species, especially those in the upper North Island.
Hon Damien O’Connor Link to this
If the Minister is so committed to protecting Northland forests, then why does he support the closure of the Ōpua biosecurity office, an action that leaves Northland vulnerable to pests and diseases from the hundreds of foreign yachts and vessels that visit Northland every year?
The Ōpua office will be manned from Whangarei. It will be manned throughout the season. It will not be manned throughout the winter, when not a lot of these vessels come into Ōpua port.
Hon Damien O’Connor Link to this
Will the Minister guarantee that his cut-backs to Biosecurity New Zealand will not expose New Zealand to greater risk and an invasion of Australian fruit flies, which would destroy our horticultural industry, given that a live Australian cane toad has just hopped through his current system; if not, why not?
There have been no cuts to Biosecurity New Zealand under this Government, unlike those under the previous Labour Government, and—[ Interruption]
Mr SPEAKERI apologise to the Minister. The House is so noisy that I cannot hear when members call. I take it that it is a point of order that the Hon Damien O’Connor is calling for.
Hon Damien O’Connor Link to this
I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. The Minister is misleading the House—
The member will resume his seat immediately. He cannot use a point of order to contest an answer that is being provided by the Minister, especially not by arguing that the Minister is misleading the House. If he wants to ask further supplementary questions that may highlight what he considers to be inaccuracies in the answer, then that is fine, but he cannot do it by way of a point of order.
Continuing with my answer, the member might like to acknowledge to the House that when his Government was in charge, eight cane toads came into New Zealand in 2003, and four came in in 2004. [ Interruption]