Chadwick Steve: Antarctica (Environmental Protection: Liability Annex) Amendment Bill — First Reading 
Chadwick Steve: Antarctica (Environmental Protection: Liability Annex) Amendment Bill — First Reading 
[Volume:656;Page:5777] 
Hon STEVE CHADWICK (Labour) 
: 
 It has been fantastic to hear the debate in the House on a non-controversial treaty amendment bill the Antarctica (Environmental Protection: Liability Annex) Amendment Bill. I found it very interesting to hear the Maori Party’s contribution because the bill is not about tangata whenua; it is about countries internationally agreeing about the protection of the Antarctic. Although I acknowledge what the Maori Party was saying about the role of tangata whenua in New Zealand waters we are talking here today about Antarctica and the protection of its environment. 
The story has unfolded over many years as we have heard from the previous speakers. It began 48 years ago—a long time ago. My figure says 48 years ago; the previous speaker Nicky Wagner quoted 2 years earlier—1959—but it is neither here nor there. It has been a long journey. As Chris Auchinvole said it has been glacial. It is becoming more imperative today as we face climate change which we all acknowledge as real that we make sure we do all we can to ensure there is no further degradation or no increased speed of degradation of the Antarctic. 
New Zealand has a lead role. I am very proud of our role. I have never been down there. I envied hearing Chris Carter say that he went down there when he was the Minister of Conservation. I never got that far when I was the Minister of Conservation. I did not even make the Subantarctic Islands. It is a place on everybody’s to-do list. It is one of those places about which people say on their return they have been profoundly changed by the impact of the environment by the sheer scope of the subantarctic region—the ocean and the land mass. According to one observation there does not appear to be a lot of snow on the land mass. 
I have had something of a role in the Antarctic with my brother being an artist in residence down there. He painted the Shackleton hut. It is great to have another bit of artistic preservation of the Antarctic. Those old huts are wonderful and when one sees those paintings photographs and historical records one realises how those early explorers lived on such a remote and vast continent. 
The treaty has gone on for a long time. It is still not entered into by 28 parties but I think New Zealand will be leading the way. When we start the negotiations we will be one of the first countries to approve the liability annex. Only Sweden Peru Poland and Spain have signed the annex. The bill today is another step on New Zealand’s journey. I am really proud we all agree that the bill is absolutely important. 
Chris Auchinvole’s great overview of the activities that go on down in that part of the country was interesting. The New Zealand Air Force flies C130J Hercules and P3K Orions down to the Antarctic from Christchurch as Nicky Wagner will know. The National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research undertakes significant scientific research down there which is really valuable for New Zealand in informing us of the rate of sea warming and climate change. I am amazed at the level of activity of huge cruise ships which go down there for 3 weeks at a time. The number of visits increasing in just a decade from 13000 to 46000 shows that if we do not do something now with this annex and get it signed we will have to deal with some amazing risks in the future. 
When I was the Minister of Conservation we were always very involved in the issue of whale fishing. New Zealand proudly said no to the hunting of whales in the Antarctic. We were very worried about activities at sea during the whaling season. There was a fire and we were also worried about oil spillage. The environmental protection will be of great benefit to the non-governmental organisations that watch the level of activity there. They get down into those territorial waters every year during the whaling season. We were very worried about safety at sea. When there is a lot of clutter down in the Ross Sea—so far away from New Zealand—the only way to mitigate any harm or risk is through the air force. It takes days for ships to get down there even if National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research scientific vessels are in the Antarctic. 
The bill is a great bill. I think it has a carrot and stick approach. The financial liability limits that are included in the annex—US$1.5 million for events caused by a shipping vessel in those waters—are a great incentive for people to have a risk management plan and a mitigation of risk plan. If there are other environmental emergencies down there the penalty of US$4.5 million sends a very strong message that we value the subantarctic and the Antarctic. All of us around the world have a part to play in making sure that the Antarctic Treaty strongly supports the objectives of environmental protection. 
All that the bill does is insert a new Part 5A which is about the environmental protection annex. Once it is signed we will have very clear legal liability for damage in an environment that everybody knows is very precious to the world. Thank you Mr Deputy Speaker.