Dunne - Federated Farmers complementary accord a joke

UnitedFuture leader Peter Dunne has labelled Manawatu Federated Farmers ‘complementary’ accord on the Manawatu River “a joke”.

“I am hugely concerned that Manawatu Federated Farmers has chosen to go it alone in dealing with the problems of the Manawatu River,” said Mr Dunne.

Federated farmers claim to want a river they can be proud of, but need ‘ready access to credible scientific information that identifies the causes, the remedies and the economic costs involved with any solution’.

“It is the last part of that statement that really shows the farmers true concerns. While they are willing to pay lip service to being part of the solution, they will only do so if they feel the cost is not too high to them,” said Mr Dunne.

“It is the cost of doing nothing that is the true cost to this and future generations.”

“Are we going to sit back and allow one section of the community to destroy our outdoor heritage because they may have to change how they operate to do so?”

“Surely if farmers were so concerned about protecting the Manawatu River they would not wish to see cows adding to the rivers problems,” said Doug Stevens, UnitedFuture spokesperson on the environment and outdoor recreation.

“Rivers are publicly owned and available resources,” said Mr Stevens. “Any group that does not take action to preserve them is stealing our heritage both from this and future generations.”

“Now is the time for Federated Farmers to prove that they are responsible members of the community, drop this charade, sign up to the Leaders Accord and begin cleaning up this river,” said Mr Dunne.

Ends

Hurunui moratorium positive for recreation

UnitedFuture leader Peter Dunne has backed the approval of a moratorium on new water takes from the Hurunui River as a positive step that will give recreational users more opportunity to have their say on the future of the river.

 “The future of the Hurunui River is not only important for the future of North Canterbury but is a real precedent setter for the future of wild rivers in this country,” said Mr Dunne.

 “It is therefore sensible that more time is given for interested parties to develop a comprehensive strategy for the management of the river, and the opportunity to fairly consider water conservation orders alongside irrigation proposals.”

 The moratorium, if passed by Environment Canterbury, will cover the Hurunui and its tributaries from 23 July 2010 to 1 October 2011.

 “I hope that the moratorium allows for greater consultation with interested recreational groups, particularly kayakers and fly-fishermen who for decades have enjoyed the sporting opportunities a truly wild yet accessible South Island river has to offer.”

 “Recreational interests are often neglected in many of these debates.”

 “We so often here about the effects on conservation and the environment yet at the end of the day those things mean very little if New Zealanders are prevented from actually getting out and enjoying them.”

 “New Zealand’s outdoor heritage and the public’s access to it is what makes this country a great place to live, it is therefore important that recreational values are included with economic and environmental considerations in all future planning and development,” said Mr Dunne.

Dunne To Chair Emissions Trading Review

Dunne To Chair Emissions Trading Review
By Political Correspondent Marie McNicholas at 4:09 pm, 08 Dec 2008

The Government is taking the rare move of nominating a minister to chair the select committee that will review the emissions trading scheme.

United Future leader and Revenue Minister Peter Dunne will chair the special committee to be set up as a condition of National’s confidence and supply deal with ACT.

Mr Dunne is considered a safe pair of hands, and with select committees able to set their own agenda, his leadership is designed to ensure the Government does not lose control of the process and it does not drag on.

ACT wants the science of climate change to be part of the review but National is resisting that course.

However, Labour is unhappy that National plans to put a member of the executive in charge of a select committee when there has been a longstanding convention to try to keep parliamentary committees and the executive separate.

Prime Minister John Key said Mr Dunne was a senior MP and neutral so there was no particular disagreement that he could do the job.

The makeup of the committee was still being discussed with other parties, he said after Cabinet met today.

He repeated that he would like to see the whole issue resolved by the end of September, along the lines of National’s preference for an amended scheme based on the existing framework.

National campaigned on amending Labour’s scheme, which started coming into force this year when forestry started accounting for its emissions, but ACT wants it scrapped altogether.

Mr Key denied the review process would be rushed to meet a September 30 timetable. Legislating for an amended ETS would not mean starting from “ground zero” and the core framework was largely in place, he said, although he conceded the committee could recommend the issue go back to scratch.

If that was the case, energy’s 2010 entry to the scheme would be delayed, he said.

He expected the committee to report back to Parliament reasonably early in the New Year.

Labour’s climate change spokesman Charles Chauvel said he believed it was unprecedented for a minister to chair a select committee, and he questioned how a member of the Government executive could be independent.

He also took issue with the chairmanship being announced by the prime minister when it was a decision for the committee.

“If we have to have this inquiry, and Labour would prefer that we didn’t, it’s not got off to a great start having broken with convention by having a member of the executive as the chair,” Mr Chauvel said.

The new Parliament sits for the first time since the election this week and the makeup of select committees is thrashed out by a business committee of MPs from all parties.

Parliament will be sitting under urgency for most of the next two weeks, which usually prevents select committees from meeting.

© Newsroom 2008

UnitedFuture delivers for hunters

UnitedFuture leader Peter Dunne today announced a major victory for the recreational hunting community through the creation of an Establishment Committee to oversee the formation of a Big Game Hunting Council (BGHC).

“UnitedFuture has worked extremely hard under the confidence and supply agreement we have with the Labour Government to have the interests of hunters better recognised,” said Mr Dunne.

“I am thrilled for the long-neglected hunting community that we have managed to achieve the foundation of a truly effective and far-reaching advocacy organisation.

“The BGHC will be a permanent organisation tasked with representing the interests of the hunting community through the coordination of recreational, commercial and guided hunting.

“The BGHC will also sponsor the recognition of big game animals as a major recreational, food and trophy resource while advocating for the interests of its membership directly to the Minister of Conservation and the public generally.”

UnitedFuture can also announce the establishment of a Wild Animal Control Advisory Committee (WACAC).

“The WACAC, while not an advocate body, will be a government-funded committee that will underpin the importance of recreational hunting within government policy.

"It will provide the Minister of Conservation and relevant agencies with advice on the management of wild animals including best practice approaches around the country that increase the overall hunting effort and the effectiveness of hunting as a wild animal control tool.

“UnitedFuture has long held the belief that big game animals are not just the pests the Government will have us think they are.

"Rather they are valued introduced species that deserve a responsible management regime to maximise their recreational benefits without neglecting the environmental challenges that come along with them.

“The BGHC and WACAC will provide both hunters and the Government the means to collaborate on the best way to manage these animals,” said Mr Dunne.

Dunne: West Coast public deserve answers

UnitedFuture leader Peter Dunne is demanding that DoC, the Animal Health Board and the Regional Council adhere to the wishes of the West Coast public and cease aerial 1080 operations on the West Coast.

“The fact is people on the West Coast are sick of the belligerent attitude of this Government department carrying on its indiscriminate poisoning operations regardless of public opinion,” said Mr Dunne.

“Recent aerial 1080 operations on the West Coast have been responsible for the death of several endangered kea, 10 domestically farmed deer, and have also posed a risk to public health through the proximity of drops to public water supplies.

“I cannot fathom why 1080 is aerially applied to a bush block at the back of a farm, surely the area is accessible by vehicle and foot meaning ground baiting should be used as the preferable application method as stipulated by ERMA during their review of the poison.

“Reluctantly the New Zealand public have accepted the use of aerial 1080 as a means by which to fight the prevalence of possums, stoats and rats on inaccessible land but when that mandate is abused as it has been recently the public deserve some answers.

“I would like to know why ground application and bait stations could not be used in situations where public health, domestically farmed animals or native bird species are at risk, surely this would be a more cautious and safety-first approach?

“While UnitedFuture is supportive of the protestors we do not condone recent aggressive acts of one or two who have targeted DoC workers, contractors and their property.

“UnitedFuture stands by the people of the West Coast in demanding the discontinuance of aerial 1080 poison operations,” said Mr Dunne.