Kedgley Sue: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Kedgley Sue: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:638;Page:8535] 
8.  
SUE KEDGLEY (Green) 
 to the  
Minister for Biosecurity 
: How many of the transitional facilities where methyl bromide fumigation took place last year are within 500 metres of schools? 
Hon JIM ANDERTON (Minister for Biosecurity) 
: 
 The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry records the names and locations of transitional and port facilities where methyl bromide has been used in fumigation. In order to identify the proximity to schools of every one of the 6119 transitional facilities where methyl bromide may have been required to be used in the last year it would be necessary to physically map each transitional facility and then cross-reference its location to the nearest schools. It would take both considerable effort and cost to query 12 months’ data. I would not expect Biosecurity New Zealand to undertake such an exhaustive and arbitrary task because the health and safety of fumigation operations are governed by extensive regulations issued by the Environmental Risk Management Authority and enforced by the Occupational Safety and Health Service and as well come under the Resource Management Act consents process. 
Sue Kedgley 
: Is the Minister saying that he has no idea how many methyl bromide fumigation facilities are near schools and can he confirm that there are many methyl bromide fumigation facilities near schools such as Otahuhu School Otahuhu College King’s College in Auckland Kelvin Christian School and other examples that I will table; and does the Government have concerns that children in those schools may be exposed to harmful concentrations of this highly toxic odourless gas especially when despite all the regulations he referred to there is no monitoring of methyl bromide concentrations even in residential areas and near schools; if not why not? 
Hon JIM ANDERTON 
: Decisions on permitted or non-permitted activities like methyl bromide use in urban and regional areas are made by the relevant local authority under the Resource Management Act. The Government is currently investigating different ways of monitoring gas discharge and exposure rates over time and also the idea of using a recovery and destruction method for the gas. A person who intends to carry out fumigation with methyl bromide must notify every person who may be affected by the fumigation of the intention to carry out that fumigation. Those regulations are enforced by the Department of Labour. 
R Doug Woolerton 
: Can the Minister tell the House whether there are any negative side effects to our agricultural exports from not using methyl bromides; if so what are they? 
Hon JIM ANDERTON 
: Our sawn timber exports to Australia which are a significant element of our export wood industry are required by the Australian authorities to be treated by methyl bromide. If we did not treat them with methyl bromide we would not be able to export any timber at all. On the import side of course if we did not have treatment like methyl bromide for incursions in New Zealand we would almost certainly have greater incursions of red fire ants black widow spiders and Asian tiger mosquitoes—which could be arranged of course. 
Sue Kedgley 
: Does he agree that methyl bromide is a highly toxic and odourless gas and that it should not be permitted to be used for fumigation near schools and in residential areas; if not why not? 
Hon JIM ANDERTON 
: Clearly it is a toxic gas both to animal habitats and of course to the ecosystem itself—we acknowledge that. But the member has to understand that under the Ozone Layer Protection Act which controls imports of ozone-depleting substances including methyl bromide and in line with our commitments under the Montreal Protocol we can use methyl bromide for quarantine and pre-shipment services. That is a permitted use of methyl bromide that can legitimately occur under that protocol. 
Sue Kedgley 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. I have twice asked the Minister whether he believes that methyl bromide fumigation facilities should be permitted to be used near schools. I have asked that very simply. Could the Minister answer that question and not a number of other irrelevant issues? 
Madam SPEAKER 
: As the member knows Ministers are not required to answer yes or no or to give the answers expected by members. They must address the question and I think that question has been addressed at length. 
Sue Kedgley 
: Can I take it from the Minister’s answers that this Government is happy to turn a blind eye to the fact that methyl bromide fumigation is taking place near to schools possibly endangering the health of pupils and now that the technology to recapture methyl bromide has been proven to be practical and cost effective and is in use in Australia and other countries why will this Government not require the recapturing of this highly toxic and ozone-depleting gas as a condition of its use? 
Hon JIM ANDERTON 
: No. 
Sue Kedgley 
: I seek leave to table a map showing the location of four fumigation sites in close proximity to schools. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection? There is objection. 
Sue Kedgley 
: I seek leave to table some documents that show other Governments such as those in Belgium and Australia have passed regulations requiring the recapture of methyl bromide. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table those documents. Is there any objection? There is objection.