Competing agendas over natural resources, says Joyce

Competing agendas make one of the Bay's best resources also one of the most challenging to move on, says Steven Joyce.

The Economic Development Minister was in Hastings today to deliver the key note speech at the East Coast Hill Country Conference.

"Probably one of the most challenging areas is the natural resources sector and that is because the competing agendas of different people in terms of the use of land and fresh water resources in particular," he said.

In a post-speech interview the Minister didn't skip a beat when he said this challenge was "without a doubt it is the land and the water resources".

"And then there is also things like there is the marine resource for fishing but also but potentially oil and gas which is out there as one way in the future."

He said while it is similar to most parts of the country, Hawke's Bay had its own advantage.

"It reflects in the industries like horticulture and the extensive pastoral farming as well," he said.

When asked about whether a charge should be placed on bottled water, he said it was a matter for local councils.
He said it was an interesting theory to put a price tag on such a commodity and that the Land and Water Forum were discussing tradable consent at present.

"I am not going to prejudge what they come up with," he said.

"Except they have made it pretty clear we are not just going to put a price on water for everybody and of course if you are only going to put it on for one organisation versus a whole range of others."

The Minister said it could be looked at in another way and that is here is an industry that has invested in the Bay because of the availability of resources. "They have obtained it over a consent in the same way that a farmer seeks and obtain a consent," he said.

He said while you could make a case for charging for "about anything really" he spoke of the jobs the new business offered.

"Well it is pretty important to the region," he said speaking of Miracle Water.
"It is all about that equation and that equation is ultimately we are all of us in those industries using those resources to provide jobs and incomes for people in this region and it applies around the country as well," he said.

"But the principal of providing a consent to make an investment, hire people run a business applies to that company as well as it does to any other company."