Burns Brendon: Antarctica (Environmental Protection: Liability Annex) Amendment Bill — First Reading 
Burns Brendon: Antarctica (Environmental Protection: Liability Annex) Amendment Bill — First Reading 
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BRENDON BURNS (Labour—Christchurch Central) 
: 
 I am very pleased particularly as a Christchurch member of Parliament to support the Antarctica (Environmental Protection: Liability Annex) Amendment Bill. Antarctica is not completely untouched but it is certainly the least altered large land mass in the world with many unique ecosystems animals and landscapes. It gives the last opportunity we have to preserve and protect a whole continent in as natural a condition as possible. 
In the past Antarctica has been used with little regard to the consequences for the environment. Whales were hunted almost to extinction in the 1800s and early 1900s. On the continent itself where only 2 percent of the land is ice-free scientific bases runways and dumps have competed with penguins seals and moss fields for space. Even in the 1970s it was a common perception that there was so much empty space in Antarctica that human activities would have no impact. Since then I think we as a people have realised that Antarctica is not isolated from the rest of the world and that it has an impact on ocean currents weather patterns and migratory animals that extends well beyond the Antarctic Circle. Similarly we have discovered that the ozone hole that occurs above Antarctica each spring has links with chlorofluorocarbons. We know that global warming which has its origins in nations such as ours and in many other countries will have major consequences for Antarctica and therefore for everyone on the planet. 
The protection of the Antarctic environment has its foundations in the Antarctic Treaty of 1959. That was not very long after Sir Edmund Hillary’s trek by tractor across the continent. I think that Sir Edmund loved Antarctica almost as much as he loved the Himalayas. From what I know from those who went with him on his last trip to Antarctica he treasured that place and they treasured that time with him. I think he would be very proud to see this bill before Parliament today. 
 The Antarctic Treaty of 1959 also aimed to avoid international disputes particularly over things such as mineral resources. It was very pleasing to note therefore that in 1975 the then Labour Government the Rowling Labour Government suggested that Antarctica be declared a world park. Unfortunately many other countries considered that mineral exploration in Antarctica was inevitable and wanted to establish guidelines for mining. There was a development of a convention to so do. Mercifully public and world opinion at the time was going in the opposite direction so instead of that in fact we got the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty also known as the Madrid Protocol. That introduced an indefinite ban on mining activities in Antarctica and designated Antarctica as a natural space reserved for and devoted to peace and science. 
The protocol emphasised responsible environmental management. Like the liability annex we are now discussing as a House the environmental protocol did not come into force until all 26 Antarctic Treaty consultative parties had ratified it. This was finally achieved in January 1998. By ratifying that protocol New Zealand signalled its commitment to ensuring that activities in Antarctica complied with the standards of the protocol. 
This bill introduces the liability annex to that protocol. The need for it is underlined I think by a period of just 3 months. A couple of years ago in the waters off Antarctica in the space of a 12-week period there were two accidents involving cruise ships. One cruise ship had 154 people on board and also many thousands of litres of fuel but the people were rescued. Three months later there was another incident where a cruise ship spilled nearly 700 litres of diesel into the waters off Antarctica. Of course it is not just cruise liners that present the environmental challenges that the annex of this bill attempts to deal with. Our own Defence Force regularly sends Hercules aircraft to Antarctica; our Orions oversee the waters above Antarctica. We all hope and pray that nothing ever happens to any of our aircraft but there are liabilities ensuing if such an incident were to happen. That is what this House is attempting to address with the legislation in front of us today. 
I think we would all accept that Antarctica and its environments are essential to all of our futures. Although this bill deals with liability aspects I think it also bodes well for the House that we are acknowledging the wider importance of the Antarctic environment. With this piece of legislation we are upholding the “polluter pays” concept. I think we need to note that remote though it is Antarctica is essential to the lives of every person on this planet. If we lost Antarctica through ice melt we as peoples in this nation would all be seeking high-country tenure review. This bill recognises the unique fragile and important nature of Antarctica’s environment. It deserves our consideration as a House.