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My thanks to BECA and IPENZ for the organising of this event, and the opportunity as Minister for Building and Construction to update progress on the implementation of the Royal Commission’s recommendations, and to announce significant proposed changes to the regulation of professional engineering in New Zealand.

The timing is appropriate as it is the fourth anniversary today of the first of the series of earthquakes to hit this city.

Kia ora hei hui tātou katoa.

Can I acknowledge Gary Taylor and the Environmental Defence Society (EDS) for the first class discussion and engagement that goes with these annual EDS conferences.

It is great to gather again at this, our 16th Bluegreens Forum, to positively influence how New Zealand manages its natural resources.

It is a special privilege to have Hon Greg Hunt, the Australian Environment Minister, join us. We share a common goal of pursuing policies for our respective nations that marry together sound stewardship of our natural heritage with a strong economy that provides good jobs and incomes for our citizens.

2014 marks the centenary of World War I, it’s the year of our triennial general elections and it’s the year of the Rio Football World Cup. The topic of this year’s Rotary speech is not about military, political or sporting battles but a little-known battle in our vast forests between pests and our native birds.

Mr Speaker, I move that the Housing Accords and Special Housing Areas Bill be now read a third time.

This bill, introduced as part of Budget 2013, is about enabling tens of thousands of homes to be built.

It is about helping kiwi families to realise the dream of owning their own home.

It’s about supporting the New Zealand economic recovery by reducing the financial risks of Auckland’s house price bubble.

Prime Minister, President, delegates.

Housing policy is one of the great challenges of our time.

It matters because for most kiwi families the equity in their home is their greatest asset.

It matters because we’ve seen how mis-managed housing bubbles can bring the world’s biggest economies to their knees.

It matters because old, cold and mouldy homes compound into health problems.

It matters because part of the kiwi way of life is that through hard work and careful saving New Zealanders should be able to afford their own home.

Good morning.

Pulling together good economic and environmental policy has been my passion of 25 years in politics and so I am delighted to be formally opening this Valuing Nature Conference.

I want to start by acknowledging our distinguished international guests.

Former chair of the IPCC on Climate Change and Nobel Peace Prize winner, Professor Sir Robert Watson.

Ambassador for the UN Environment Programme and author of “Towards a Green Economy”, Pavan Sukhdev.

Good morning. Thank you to the organisers of today’s seminar for providing this opportunity for everyone involved in contributing to the Zero Draft Document for Rio+20 to get together and share ideas and information on these matters which are so critical to our future.

I would like to acknowledge the distinguished speakers and guests, and especially acknowledge and thank all of you who have put many hours and much thought into your submissions.