SpeechPAUL EAGLE (Labour—Rongotai): Kia ora Madam Speaker and it's good to see you back in the Chair. It's my privilege to take a call on the Prohibition on Seabed Mining Legislation Amendment Bill. I too want to like my colleague Phil Twyford who's left the House now but made a point to the member who's brought this to the House Debbie Ngarewa-Packer to say that her strategic intentions on the nature of the bill are commended. And I too want to join Phil Twyford in supporting his comments.We know now that the Labour Party won't be supporting this through its first reading. The essence of supporting those strategic intentions versus the implications of what the proposed bill will do have been well traversed. I think it's worth just noting some of the background on this matter and we know that the Government is engaged in an ongoing international discussion on deep-sea mining. Seabed mining is usually referred to internationally in areas beyond national jurisdiction including as it relates to the Pacific. I'm not a member of the Environment Committee but I'm aware—and you've heard from the Minister who opened the speaking on this that he's asked the select committee to conduct an inquiry into seabed mining.One of the good news points is that the views of the member and others will have the opportunity to be input into that process and that will look at an overview of the seabed mining operations and proposals. And that's good because there are many many strong views on this issue. I know that being the electorate member for a coastal seat in Wellington here there has been feedback from constituents who want to have a say on the issue. They contextualise this around climate change around some of the issues to reduce fossil fuels and a whole range of other issues.So the timing of an inquiry is spot on. That inquiry would also consider the potential risks and benefits and whether the changes—and we've heard about those in terms of the domestic regulatory framework—are needed; would encompass all of the seabed areas within our jurisdiction and namely the territorial sea known as we know the exclusive economic zone and that extended continental shelf.I just want to note for a minute that the Minister the Hon Nanaia Mahuta back in late 2022 announced that New Zealand will back a conditional moratorium on seabed mining in areas beyond the national jurisdiction until environmental rules supported by robust science can be agreed on internationally. I'm hopeful that the inquiry will allow those views to initiate discussions if not a firm discussion and make some impact internationally.Our international position doesn't require the Government to change its domestic approach to seabed mining but having backed a conditional moratorium it is timely to examine our own regulatory settings. So the member's really activated—ignited—some conversation here. Those concerns about the environmental impacts of seabed mining do need to be considered—let's be frank about that—along with the potential role that minerals recovered by seabed mining could play in New Zealand's transition to a decarbonised economy.So one of the things that we've heard about is the unintended consequences. I know for example that there are some implications for customary marine titles and Treaty settlements. I'm sure the member is aware of these too so I'm hopeful that those are covered in terms of the inquiry under the select committee process.I'm confident that we will get to a position here that takes into account what the member's intentions are but does a whole lot better without impacting some of those unintended consequences—ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Poto Williams): Order! The member's time has expired.