Sabin Mike: Marine Legislation Bill — Second Reading 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Sabin Mike: Marine Legislation Bill — Second Reading 
[Sitting date: 20 March 2013. Volume:688;Page:8751. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
MIKE SABIN (National—Northland) 
: 
 I am really pleased to take a call on this love-fest bill. I am sorry; it is not that at all. It is the Maritime Legislation Bill. I just acknowledge the fact that this bill is supported across the House although it is a little bit like Clayton’s support—“beatings will continue until morale improves” support if you like. But none the less there is support across the House. As a new member of the Transport and Industrial Relations Committee I just acknowledge the committee’s work. I have only recently joined the committee as deputy chairman. It has an excellent chairman in David Bennett and it is a very hard-working committee embodied in its name—it is a very industrial committee. I just acknowledge its work and of course the work of the respective Ministers. 
Successful economic policy really does embody successful environmental policy and of this National-led Government this National Party is the one party that actually marries up those two important factors successfully. We hear a lot about it from over in the “watermelon patch” but it is just some sort of crazy ideology—a little bit of printing money and a bit of green stuff thrown in there every now and then. But this National-led Government gets that balance right and this bill really does embody that. 
The Maritime Transport Act and the Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf (Environmental Effects) Act are amended in this bill and the changes include changes to the oversight of port harbour and navigation safety; implementation of international maritime conventions and protocols; changes related to the making of maritime and marine protection rules; and transferring the regulation of the discharge and dumping of waste essentially. This is all very sensible stuff. The changes in this bill will provide greater certainty and reduce compliance costs which I think we can all agree is a very positive addition; increased efficiency and avoiding duplication in process; enhanced management of the environmental effects and impacts; and of course the opportunity to improve public and iwi consultation. I just want to also acknowledge the fact that this bill will provide for and empower the regional councils to set about having a greater involvement and a more effective involvement I believe because regional councils are people who do know their harbours and waterways better than anyone. I think that is infinitely sensible. 
The bill goes on to make some fairly serious improvements and creates the sort of clarity and effectiveness that is absolutely warranted in very very busy waterways. Way back when—I cannot remember how long now; it seems like about five lifetimes ago now—I was a naval officer. Rest assured members of the House. There are plenty of big sharp things floating around out there in the sea and when things go wrong as we found with the  
Rena 
 things get very very concerning for all parties concerned onshore and offshore. This bill creates an effectiveness and an efficiency that will provide some certainty out there. 
It also improves the safety and environmental protection that again as I started to say in my short contribution to the House are so important in terms of getting the right balance between the environmental impacts the environmental consequences and the economic importance. This is a pragmatic bill. It is another good example of what this Government is doing to move things ahead. I am certainly happy to commend it to the House.