9. Question No. 9—Foreign AffairsHon EUGENIE SAGE (Green) to the Minister of Foreign AffairsQuestion No. 9—Foreign Affairs9. Hon EUGENIE SAGE (Green) to the Minister of Foreign Affairs: Does she have confidence in New Zealand's engagement with the International Seabed Authority about its management of seabed mining; if so why?Hon NANAIA MAHUTA (Minister of Foreign Affairs): Yes I have confidence in the way that New Zealand is engaging with the International Seabed Authority (ISA). They are one of many. The fact that we have been consistent in arguing for a high-standards environmental protection framework evidences our commitment to ensure that no deep-sea mining happens without a level of environmental protection.Hon Eugenie Sage: With those high standards of environmental protection how is that consistent with the ISA recently allowing a subsidiary of The Metals Company to do exploratory mining and take 3600 tonnes of polymetallic nodules from the sea-floor between Hawaii and Mexico?Hon NANAIA MAHUTA: I acknowledge the validity of that question. New Zealand made a decision to participate in the broader role of the ISA in advocating for a high-standards environmental protection framework rather than participating with the Legal and Technical Commission which is an independently appointed set of experts who consider applications.Hon Eugenie Sage: Does she consider there is any conflict of interest with the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) Principal Scientist - Fisheries being the only New Zealand delegate on the Legal and Technical Commission and NIWA also being contracted by The Metals Company to help it with its seabed mining proposal and if not why not?Hon NANAIA MAHUTA: It would be remiss of me not to acknowledge that there could be a perceived conflict of interest in that instance. However when we consider the broader impact of the ISA in implementing a high-standards environmental protection framework that is the area where we can make the biggest impact to state our position but also to have influence across the whole of the international waters that is consistent with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. The other thing is we continue to respect the territorial integrity of nations when they make their decisions in this area which is why we participate in the ISA.Hon Eugenie Sage: Does she recognise that exploratory mining such as recently allowed can permanently damage sea-floor habitats and ecosystems and if so does she agree with the ISA's distinction between exploration and exploitation being arbitrary and unsupported by scientific evidence?Hon NANAIA MAHUTA: Again I acknowledge the validity of the question which is why in advocating for a high-standards environmental protection framework we also include within that having a science- and evidence-based approach in the consideration of deep-sea mining applications in international waters.Hon Eugenie Sage: Has she sought advice about Aotearoa New Zealand changing its position and calling for a moratorium on deep-sea mining alongside our Pacific neighbours such as Palau Samoa Fiji and the Federated States of Micronesia and if not why not?Hon NANAIA MAHUTA: Yes I have and I'm expecting that advice to come back to me. We've said previously that if negotiations do not succeed at the ISA to achieve the effective protection framework of the marine environment New Zealand will be calling for no deep-sea mining to occur. We are encouraged with the number of Pacific nations in the region who have expressed their concern with the lack of progress within the ISA and they have voiced that at a number of fora. So we must recognise that we would be in step with Pacific partners if we move down that road as we consider our own position in weeks to come.