Tama Potaka: The Hauraki Gulf Protection Bill changes are needed

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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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:05):
You're listening to the Weekend Collective podcast from News Talk SEDB.

Speaker 2 (00:10):
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

(00:32):
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.

Speaker 3 (00:42):
Shut out Tim and thanks for having me on your show.

Speaker 2 (00:44):
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

(01:06):
Oceans and Fisheries ministers was willing to entertain as a
complete and utter disgrace. What's up?

Speaker 3 (01:14):
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

(01:36):
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.

Speaker 2 (01:53):
What are they upset about then? Is it because of
the ring net fishing and allowing certain fishers to do
that sort of activity.

Speaker 3 (02:03):
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.

Speaker 2 (02:23):
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.

Speaker 3 (02:34):
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

(02:55):
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,

(03:18):
but it will be a very narrow provision.

Speaker 2 (03:20):
Who are those groups that get to do that ring
net fishing? How do we sort of.

Speaker 3 (03:24):
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

(03:45):
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.

Speaker 2 (04:02):
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

(04:22):
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?

Speaker 3 (04:30):
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.

(04:52):
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.

Speaker 2 (05:13):
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

(05:34):
it simply that their stance is always pushing towards no
commercial activity, no ring fishing, and you're just trying to
find that balance.

Speaker 3 (05:43):
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.

(06:07):
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

(06:30):
picture that in terms of three to four percent changes
to enact changes to a bill which is going in
the right direction.

Speaker 2 (06:39):
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.

Speaker 3 (06:51):
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.

Speaker 2 (07:05):
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.

Speaker 3 (07:18):
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

(07:41):
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

(08:05):
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

(08:26):
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?

Speaker 2 (08:49):
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.

Speaker 3 (09:06):
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

(09:31):
it forward, as I'm sure most Aucklanders will be excellent.

Speaker 2 (09:34):
Tama Portaker I really appreciate your time this afternoon. Thanks
so much.

Speaker 3 (09:38):
Thanks mate. Down a later, Jerry, Jerry.

Speaker 2 (09:40):
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

(10:01):
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.

Speaker 1 (10:09):
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