Hughes Gareth: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Hughes Gareth: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:664;Page:12171] 
9. 
GARETH HUGHES (Green) 
 to the  
Minister for the Environment 
: When did the Government become aware that radioactive uranium ore was being shipped through New Zealand ports and the exclusive economic zone for later use in nuclear reactors? 
Hon Dr NICK SMITH (Minister for the Environment) 
: 
 I am advised that Government officials have been aware since the 1970s of the trans-shipment of yellowcake uranium ore through New Zealand ports. I was advised in March this year that the Environmental Risk Management Authority had issued a permit for trans-shipping yellowcake through the Ports of Auckland. I note that the yellowcake poses little health or environmental risk and that the Australian Government ensures that its ore is used only for peaceful purposes—that is non-military use. 
Gareth Hughes 
: Can the Minister confirm that this is a radioactive nuclear material? 
Hon Dr NICK SMITH 
: Yes I can. I note though that uranium is naturally occurring. It is a very weak radioactive element which is widely distributed throughout the Earth’s crust in rocks soils stream sediments rivers and oceans. I am also advised by the National Radiation Laboratory that uranium is common in foods and also exists in our human bodies. Uranium contributes to natural background radiation—and perhaps that might explain why Mr Charles Chauvel keeps flashing. 
Gareth Hughes 
: Does not the shipping of radioactive uranium undermine New Zealand’s proud nuclear-free history and the blood sweat and tears of hundreds of thousands of Kiwis who in the 1980s fought to entrench our nuclear-free status which is just so important to our valuable “clean green” brand? 
Hon Dr NICK SMITH 
: No; in fact if we took that sort of silly position on radioactive substances we would destine hundreds of New Zealanders to a painful death because many of those radioactive imports are used to treat cancer. 
Gareth Hughes 
: When will the Government act to ensure that New Zealand is not part of the nuclear chain in supporting nuclear generation and possibly nuclear weapons? 
Hon Dr NICK SMITH 
: I have already made plain that the Australian Government has strict criteria that it will allow the export of uranium ore only for peaceful purposes. Furthermore my colleague Georgina te Heuheu has just this week been part of a conference that is to establish very clear reporting requirements to ensure that such radioactive substances are used only for peaceful purposes. The key point I make to the Green Party is to differentiate between the very fair position and a position strongly held by this Government of opposition to nuclear weapons and a view about the overall use of nuclear technology in which it is important not just for health services but for energy generation in a number of other countries. 
Chester Borrows 
: What level of radiation exposure do yellowcake containers transiting New Zealand pose? 
Hon Dr NICK SMITH 
: I am advised by the National Radiation Laboratory that the radiation exposure is very low. If a person stood right next to a drum for 130 hours he or she would have the same level of exposure as someone would naturally have over the course of a year. The Environmental Risk Management Authority actually advises me that the high level of risk is from the toxicity not the radiation and then it is a risk only if someone ingests—that is eats—large quantities. Given that the substance is only to be in the hulls of ships I do not think the risk of that is high. 
Gareth Hughes 
: Was the Government notified that in May of this year the  
Pacific Pintail 
 and the  
Pacific Heron 
 carrying radioactive mixed oxide plutonium en route to Japan via the Tasman Sea possibly passed through New Zealand’s exclusive economic zone? 
Hon Dr NICK SMITH 
: I have received advice only in respect of uranium and the use of yellowcake. I am advised that that poses no significant risk to New Zealanders’ health or our environment. 
Gareth Hughes 
: Is it acceptable that successive Governments did not even know that radioactive uranium and plutonium had been passing through our waters? 
Hon Dr NICK SMITH 
: Governments have been aware but unlike the sort of attitude where the mere mention of the word “uranium” makes the party breathless most parties take a rational view of risk and expect officials to advise us of issues where there are significant risks to the public health or the environment. All of the science advice is that there are very low levels of risk. I note that any New Zealanders holidaying in Australia in any one of the national parks where there are extensive uranium deposits would be exposed to a greater degree of radiation through their holiday than they would be by these shipments. 
Gareth Hughes 
: Will the Minister now take a stand and make clear that as a nuclear-free country it is not OK to have nuclear shipments going towards the nuclear energy and possibly nuclear weapons industry? 
Hon Dr NICK SMITH 
: No. It is as if the member has a paranoia about anything that relates to radioactivity or uranium. I remind the member that uranium is prevalent right through our environment including in our own bodies. Although it is right to have a strong position against nuclear weapons the peaceful use of nuclear technology is part of a modern society. 
Gareth Hughes 
: I seek leave to table two documents the first being an editorial from the  
Taipei Times 
 which shows that uranium from Australia is used in Chinese power stations in lieu of the uranium that goes into Chinese warheads. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection? There is objection. 
Gareth Hughes 
: I seek leave to table the energy science report  
Nuclear Safeguards 
 which illustrates that our actions enable countries to have the capacity to develop both nuclear energy and nuclear warheads. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection? There is no objection. 
Document by leave laid on the Table of the House.