Williams Andrew: Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf (Environmental Effects) Bill — In Committee 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Williams Andrew: Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf (Environmental Effects) Bill — In Committee 
[Sitting date: 16 August 2012. Volume:682;Page:4507. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
ANDREW WILLIAMS (NZ First) 
: 
 I will take a call on behalf of New Zealand First on this bill the Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf (Environmental Effects) Bill. Can I say that when this first came before the House New Zealand First did oppose it because we had concerns about clause 10 the purpose of the bill. We were one of the Opposition parties that lodged a minority report seeking a change to the bill because the previous wording very much talked about a balance between economic development and the environment and that is a very subjective word in terms of what is a balance. Is a balance fifty-fifty? Where is the balance and if the economic factors are at a certain level will they override the environmental ones? We are very pleased that the Minister for the Environment after a meeting with the delegation from the Opposition reviewed that and was able to see fit to change the wording of the purpose of the bill. As a result New Zealand First will be supporting this bill through the Committee stage and through to the third reading. 
 In supporting the bill New Zealand First firstly would like to say that we have always said that we will support economic development where it is environmentally sustainable. We would hope and expect in good faith that the changes the Government has agreed to in terms of the purpose of the bill and the Act when it comes into being will provide sufficient safeguards for the environment to ensure that the environment is basically of course the bottom line. In that respect we do want to see economic development in this country. New Zealand First has always said that we want to see economic development providing it is sustainable and in that manner. In terms of this bill we have to remember that we are sitting on the fifth-largest exclusive economic zone in the world with our 200-mile limit being potentially a very very valuable resource for this small nation of 4.5 million people. Therefore it is important that we do have a regime in place that will cover this. To not have this up until now and to have legislation that basically took into account only the 12-mile limit and left the vast majority of the seas out there within our zone really open to all sorts of interpretation was a big risk. New Zealand First certainly wants to see this enacted so that that risk can be closed off to the benefit of all. 
We also acknowledge all the submitters who came to the select committee the many very good organisations that made some very constructive suggestions—much of which has also been taken up in terms of some of the amendments by the Government—and in particular Dr Jan Wright the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment. She gave us some very sound reasoning on a number of issues and again the Minister and the Government have taken up a number of those matters. = 
However there is still concern in parts of the Opposition in terms of some of the clauses and we can understand that. We know that there are some technical terms and some of the wording that could be considered to still be slightly ambiguous perhaps and could be slightly misconstrued if misinterpreted. So perhaps there should still be some opportunity for some discussion on some of those minor points but we are not going to die in a ditch about that. We are not going to stop this bill as a result but perhaps the Minister would still be mindful that if there is still any room for any minor considerations in regards to some of those other clauses then that would also be helpful and would show good faith again in terms of getting good support. We would hope at the end because this is such as important issue for this country that perhaps the whole of this Parliament can support this bill. At the end of the day when you have got this huge huge economic zone out there which is going to have a direct impact on all of our people in this country we would hope that we can have a collective buy-in from Parliament to try to do the very best by that economic zone. 
Can I also just point out that many of the aspirations in this bill have been things that New Zealand First has had long-held belief in in terms of what is required for our country. In terms of this we have always said through our manifesto that we would seek an urgent introduction of interim standards for drilling and exploratory work in New Zealand waters designed to meet New Zealand maritime conditions while more comprehensive standards are worked out. We also have stated in the past that we would have a requirement that all drilling exploration and extraction projects in New Zealand waters be subject to public consultation. Exploration must be subject to the public concerns being mitigated and again we expect that through this bill and by having this legislation in place this will be a platform to allow full and open public consultation on projects that are planned in the economic zone. 
We also however would sound a warning that we have always asked that we set up and train appropriate people and organisations for risk rapid response teams to deal with maritime environmental emergencies that can be deployed at short notice in New Zealand or abroad. I think that is something that this Parliament and this Government need to give further consideration to in the future. If we are going to see increased activity in our economic zone where potentially—and touch wood we would never see it happen—there could be a risk from some of the activities to our marine environment I think the very least we should ensure that we have is the appropriate response capabilities to deal with that. I think in the next year or two and perhaps as the economic situation improves we need to be mindful that New Zealand maybe has to beef up its maritime services and Maritime New Zealand capabilities to deal with any contingency that might arise. 
In closing can I just repeat that New Zealand First will be supporting this bill and we see great merit in it. I would like to just congratulate the members of the Local Government and Environment Committee who were involved in this. I think we have been sitting on it for 4 or 5 months now. There has been a huge number of submissions. A large number of organisations individuals and people around New Zealand have submitted on it. It has been a very good exercise in terms of public consultation. It has also been a good exercise in alerting the Government to some of their concerns and in the Government responding to some of those concerns in an appropriate manner. As a result I think we have got a reasonably good level of legislation here which we can support. New Zealand First commends the bill to the Committee.