Tama Potaka: The Hauraki Gulf Protection Bill changes are needed

Published Oct 13, 2024, 2:39 AM

The Government has announced changes to the Hauraki Gulf Protection Bill, including 19 new marine protection areas, while allowing limited ring-net fishing to continue for some fishers. 

The new areas would almost triple the number of spaces protected, but the Government has come under fire for still allowing ring-net fishing. 

Opposition parties and conservation groups have pushed back, saying allowing ring-net fishing would undermine a decade of work. 

Minister of Conservation Tama Potaka joins Tim Beveridge to discuss further. 

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The government has announced changes to the Hoeki Golf Protection Act. It sounds great the press release. I read it. I thought, well, there's not much to see here. They're committing to restoring the health and maori of the h Rechi golf. They're passing the Hoeki Golf Marine Protection Bill and they're talking about nineteen new marine protection areas, tripling the space protected by the Gulf and sounds great. So what's the opposition all about? And to discuss that? And the Minister of Conservation joins me. Now Tama Portaka, good afternoon.

Shut out Tim and thanks for having me on your show.

Yeah, thanks for joining us. Look, I read your press release and it all sounded like, oh, this is lovely and wholesome, and then we have this chorus of opposition starting with the World Wildlife Federal. I can't remember the name ww your efort's just call it that. Dr Kayla Kingden Bebb says, to have these last minute changes rammed through is this result of sleazy backdoor lobbying, which are Oceans and Fisheries ministers was willing to entertain as a complete and utter disgrace. What's up?

I think it's important to reach back to first principles to know the Hodaky gold will teach up of wine as an iconic and a majestic place that many many Aucklanders and many New Zealand as treasure. It's one of the most magnificent places in Old or New Zealand. And it's important that we safeguard and ensure that some of the terrible environmental and other matters that are effecting the health and well being of the Gulf right fast and recalibrated and protected heads fire. We've got this proposed legislation that's been going through Parliament for years and now we're in a space where essentially we're going to pass ninety six percent of what was introduced.

What are they upset about then? Is it because of the ring net fishing and allowing certain fishers to do that sort of activity.

Oh, I think that's probably a question that's best post of the chorus of voices. But for the most part, I think most people actually very enthusiastic and motivated to look after the golf, and I will appreciate this government's effort to curate a solution that strikes the right balance between the environment, economy community and EWE and other groups.

You were there actually late changes because I gather that you worked with a bunch of interest groups on this had you made some late changes regarding commercial fisheries.

We have made a couple of changes from the bill as introduced. That's after reflecting the direction of travel that this government has and also the need to strike the right balance. We've got white advice and wide range of advice and opinion. But ultimately there is a few changes. I don't think it does anything to the structure of the body and the direction of travel, and that's what's important. We've got nineteen new protection areas, a couple of additions to the existing reserves y protect sea for areas, but importantly taking action. There is a provision a very narrow exemption for a small number of groups to do some ring net fishing on specific species yet to be drafted, but it will be a very narrow provision.

Who are those groups that get to do that ring net fishing? How do we sort of.

Define There's five or six groups that have fished in the last couple of years in these areas, mainly fishing ace or catch around Ha Hawaii, Trivali puddle there and mullet and there will be some drafting to be concluded after final policy advice is given to my Minisserial Police and myself and then that will essentially close out the four or five amendments that we've made too or we are going to propose so that always received back from the Selik Committee and then we will present it to Parliament and Parliament will decide progressive for it.

So are there likely to be are you anticipating that there will be a few changes to it? Maybe to allay the concerns of well, we've got the Greens, Labor, the World Widelife Fund, the Tody Adams, Toby Adams talking on behalf of another group O company, the hierarchy goal for them, that's right, that's the one. So there are a bunch of people unhappy. What do you think would allay their concerns?

Well, I think, to be fair to the groups that you've mentioned have generally been unhappy with a lot of things that this government has done and to keep the economy moving again, whether it was the fast rank or some pharmacy changes to the r m A or indeed other matters who have had done to take across the economy, law and order, health, education, housing and a few other matters. And I don't think there's any surprise. What's important to us those who ensure that there is progress that the bulk of what was introduced will be carried through to legislation. And we've still got to go through the second reading in the Committee of the Whole House, where the chances we're announced will be put to Parliament to put to the test of the chamber.

Is part of it just simply that in government, you know, you're trying to balance environmental considerations with being practical about what commercial interests you can still allow to persist. Is that the whole thing and really what we're dealing with if I put aside the Greens and labor and obviously there's politics at play all the time, but if you look at the WWARE from the hierarchy golf forum, is it simply that their stance is always pushing towards no commercial activity, no ring fishing, and you're just trying to find that balance.

Absolutely, you know, I think many people have set ideologies and set positions, and in the political space in which we operate, my Minister of Colleagues and Art, and we take a wide range of advice and opinions and we try and strike a balance. And it's hard to keep everybody happier all of the time. Actually it's nearly impossible, So we have to we do have to strike a balance. And the groups that we're proposed that ringheaders a very narrow small number of groups under specific conditions, and generally often these ring neet fishing communities are supplying lower cost fish to pretty challenged communities communities throughout Auckland and through the supermarket value chain. Think it's important price to just picture that in terms of three to four percent changes to enact changes to a bill which is going in the right direction.

Are those local communities? Are the organizations are going to be able to do that sort of fishing. Are they sort of EWI based or they simply just companies or businesses that have been engaged in that activity already.

My understanding is that some of them are more Pacifica based, or do serve the lower socioeconomic communities that often include Pacifica and Malorti, particularly in places like Auckland.

Can you paint it just a quick picture, so you're talking about nineteen new marine protection areas, which will nearly triple the space protected in the Gulf. Can you put that into context in terms of the size of the Gulf and what is and will be protected.

Well, the size of the golf is massive, you know, it's one point two million kickties or thereabouts. It's a spithomus. It's a huge, huge space. And right through to the other side around Ahuahu or Mercury Island and the Automan's right up to a great barrier and across past what we often call to Harwood, our Monkey or Goat Island up in the main marine r two marine reserves will be expanded, the one up there at Lee and the finally our Hay or Cathedral Cove Marine Reserve will be expanded. There will be ten, sorry twelve what we call high protection areas. Was generally there will be no fishing in except a couple where you have these ring exemptions and that will be reviewed after three years. And then you have what we call sea floor protection areas, and there are big that we about five of those where there's no commercial contact fishing, so no bottom trawling and person saying fishing. What we've got what we've got is a whole range of reserves dotted all over the gulf. Some over the other side of the tunnel peck or on the other side of Cromental, on the other side of the peninsula, over by the automans, some around. Uh little barrier or hope to do as we go if you're around, why Hicky and and I need more to topic?

Okay, just one last question. So I presented there the opposition voices who don't like the exemptions for a few commercial organizations on the other side of the coin. Are there any organizations or voices that are opposed to you increasing the number of marine protection there.

Well, I think that there's been a really gallant and valiant effort across many EWE stakeholder groups and others to ensure there's the right balance, and it's got to a stage where most people were sort of comfortable with where it landed. We've had a couple of minor changes, but the structure and the skeleton of this legislation continues to be in place. We're really motivated in enthusiasque about carrying it forward, as I'm sure most Aucklanders will be excellent.

Tama Portaker I really appreciate your time this afternoon. Thanks so much.

Thanks mate. Down a later, Jerry, Jerry.

Over bye excellent. So you can text your feedback on nine two ninety two. By the way, nineteen nine two. It is fascinating actually the politics of this because you listen to TAMA and as they say they're trying to balance various interests with us. It sounds entirely reasonable about it. To tell you what you should read the press releases for the Hodaki Gulf Forum. Labor and the Greens obviously will have been opposing, but the World Widelife Fund as well and talking about sleazy backround deals and stuff, and so it's pretty hard hitting things.

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