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Thank you to the New Zealand Forest Owner’s Association for inviting me to launch the Forest Road Engineering Manual. Congratulations for taking the lead in revising this manual.

I would also like to acknowledge Brian Pritchard, chair of the FOA Transportation Committee; Brett Gilmore as the principle editor who I understand has put a huge amount of work into this project; and all those who have contributed.

As everyone in the room tonight knows, forestry is an important industry to New Zealand. It accounts for:

Tonight I want to say a few quick words about some of the challenges and opportunities facing the forestry industry.

The forestry industry is vital:

Australia and New Zealand have today strengthened their long standing cooperation on forestry issues by signing the Arrangement on Combating Illegal Logging and Promoting Sustainable Forest Management. The signed Arrangement illustrates a shared commitment to working together to address illegal logging and promote sustainable forest management.

Nathan Guy is heading to Australia today for a range of meetings covering the Veterans’ Affairs, Immigration, and forestry portfolios.

Mr Guy will be meeting with Australian ministers and officials in Canberra to discuss planning for the 2015 Anzac commemorations at Gallipoli.

“It’s important we work closely together on what is going to be a very important event for Australia, New Zealand and Turkey.”

Mr Guy will also be meeting with Australian Immigration Minister Chris Bowen.

Good evening ladies and gentlemen. It is a pleasure to be here this evening for the Future Forests Research Science Awards.

As Associate Minister for Primary Industries, I have a particular responsibility for forestry.

So tonight I would like to say a few words on:

Good evening ladies and gentlemen.  It is a pleasure to be here at this very prestigious World Conference on Timber Engineering.

To acknowledge:

Good afternoon. I am very pleased to speak to this year’s conference.

To acknowledge:

• National Beekeeper Association President Barry Foster
• Hawkes Bay Branch Chairman John Berry
• Bee Industry Group Chair John Hartnell
• the organising committee

I’ve been the Associate Minister for Primary Industries since December last year, when the Prime Minister asked me to work with David Carter.

Good morning ladies and gentlemen. I’m very pleased to be here today as the Associate Minister for Primary Industries, a portfolio of which the seafood industry is of course a very important part.

To acknowledge:

• Chairman of the Seafood Industry Council Dave Sharp
• Board members
• Chief Executive Peter Bodeker

Introduction

This morning I’d like to talk to you about the Government’s focus on economic growth and the contribution that your industry can make.

The Government today released a consultation document setting out proposed changes to the New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme.

“The ETS is the most cost effective and efficient way we can reduce our emissions and do our fair share on the global issue of climate change,” say Climate Change Minister Tim Groser and Primary Industries Ministers David Carter and Nathan Guy.

Immigration and Associate Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy has launched two new guides today to help migrant dairy workers and their employers work together more successfully.

“Migrant workers make up a small but significant part of the dairy industry workforce, filling the gaps where there are not enough New Zealanders available.

Good morning and welcome to the 2012 ForestWood Conference. It’s great to be here.

Congratulations on holding your second national pan-industry conference.

I’m pleased to see the Pan-Industry Strategic Action Plan in today’s programme. It is great to see that growers, processors and manufacturers have got together to develop a collective industry view of the future.

The Government’s three border agencies are stepping up work to make trade and travel more efficient through better co-ordination of border services.

Primary Industries Minister David Carter, Customs Minister Maurice Williamson and Immigration Minister Nathan Guy today announced “Future Directions for the Border Sector”, a work programme to look at how the three agencies can operate together more effectively.