Williams Andrew: Subantarctic Islands Marine Reserves Bill — First ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeWilliams Andrew: Subantarctic Islands Marine Reserves Bill — First Reading[Sitting date: 04 December 2012. Volume:686;Page:7127. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]ANDREW WILLIAMS (NZ First): I take a call on behalf of New Zealand First on the Subantarctic Islands Marine Reserves Bill. We also of course will be supportingthis bill and we are very proud to be part of it. Looking at the background to these islands I see that the first islands the Antipodes Islands—aptly named—were first charted in 1800 by Captain Henry Waterhouse on the British shipHMS Reliance. So it goes back an awful long way in terms of the origins of modern civilisation in New Zealand that these islands were first discovered in about 1800.The three different groups of islands—the Antipodes Islands the Bounty Islands and Campbell Island—are actually quite a distance apart. The Bounty Islands are the northernmost the Antipodes Islands are right out on the date line—it is probably about the first place in the world to ever see the rising sun I would think because it is right on the date line—and then Campbell Island is further down getting down towards the Auckland Islands. So that covers a vast area of ocean a vast area of our exclusive economic zone. It is a most important area because it is such a huge area for marine life for the sea and what comes from the sea and for the impacts that has on the New Zealand land mass as a result.So it is very important that we do have these areas protected and important that these marine reserves are put through in terms of supporting also that World Heritage Site situation. You know it is very very precious that when we have these World Heritage Sites they also have the appropriate legislation such as this to back them up and to make sure that that is the case.The islands are a long way away—860 kilometres south-east of Stewart Island are the Antipodes Islands. When you think about that distance it is very very significant and it shows you the outreach that New Zealand has. When we were sitting at the Local Government and Environment Committee this year on the exclusive economic zone legislation to understand that we have the fifth largest economic zone in the world was quite impressive really for a small country of 4½ million. To have such a massive exclusive economic zone is a big responsibility. It is a significant requirement on our country to make sure that we do what is best by that massive zone and that massive potential resource out there and to make sure that if resources are taken from it they are taken in an environmentally sustainable manner that will not have adverse effects on the precious environment that we have.So we are very pleased. Like all marine reserves around New Zealand the more the merrier. Those of us who are familiar with some of the more inshore marine areas such as Goat Island always marvel at the outcomes and the improvement in the fish and the sea life that are there as a result. Therefore the more marine reserves such as this—and in these remote areas as well—that can protect our marine life help grow our marine life and expand the resources that are there the better. So New Zealand First is very pleased to support this bill.