Turei Metiria: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Turei Metiria: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:672;Page:18325] 
2. 
METIRIA TUREI (Co-Leader—Green) 
 to the  
Acting Minister of Energy and Resources 
: What emergency response safety and environmental protection provisions if any were included in the permit granted to Anadarko Petroleum Corporation to undertake deep-water oil exploration and drilling in the Canterbury Basin? 
Hon HEKIA PARATA (Acting Minister of Energy and Resources) 
: 
 Tena koe Mr Speaker. Under the permit granted to Anadarko it may drill one exploratory well. Before it does so however it must develop a discharge management plan that must be approved by the director of Maritime New Zealand. 
Metiria Turei 
: Who will have responsibility for containment and clean-up if there is a catastrophic oil leak in the exploratory well that Anadarko plans to drill in waters 1500 metres deep off the Canterbury coast? 
Hon HEKIA PARATA 
: Maritime New Zealand. 
Metiria Turei 
: Will the Government require a substantial bond from Anadarko as an insurance against the possibility of a catastrophic oil leak which would cost New Zealand taxpayers billions of dollars to clean up? 
Hon HEKIA PARATA 
: If Anadarko is to drill an exploratory well it must provide a discharge management plan to Maritime New Zealand. That is the process the Government observes. 
Metiria Turei 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. My question was not about a discharge permit; it was specific and clear: will the Government require a substantial bond to cover the financial liability? 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I think the member raises a fair point. It was a straight question and I think it does deserve an answer as to whether the Government would require a bond. It may not be appropriate to answer the question but it was a straight question. 
Hon HEKIA PARATA 
: Under the process of the stage that Anadarko is at if Anadarko is to drill an exploratory well it must prepare a discharge management plan. The plan does not include a bond. 
Metiria Turei 
: What guarantee can the Minister give to New Zealanders that they will not have to foot the bill of a catastrophic leak given that Anadarko is currently contesting financial liability for the 80-day leak in the Gulf of Mexico? 
Hon HEKIA PARATA 
: A number of containment strategies are overseen by Maritime New Zealand and I have rehearsed in the House the maritime pollution strategy that applies in this area. 
Metiria Turei 
: What difference is there between the exploratory well in the Gulf of Mexico at 1500 metres deep and the proposed exploratory well in the Canterbury Basin at 1500 metres deep that gives the Government confidence that a similar catastrophic leak could be quickly contained? 
Hon HEKIA PARATA 
: The latter has not been drilled yet. 
Te Ururoa Flavell 
: Tena koe Mr Speaker. Is the Minister supportive of the Maori Party’s member’s bill to ensure meaningful and effective consultation and ongoing engagement with whanau hapu and iwi from any person or groups seeking a permit under the Crown Minerals Act; if not what is the nature of the consultation and ongoing engagement that is taking place between the Anadarko Petroleum Corporation and Ngai Tahu in the Canterbury Basin? 
Hon HEKIA PARATA 
: I am absolutely committed to meaningful engagement and I do not think legislation is required for that. As to the second part of the question the member would need to ask the parties involved. 
Metiria Turei 
: Given the Minister’s confidence in the Anadarko Petroleum Corporation what is her response to its statement in its 2010 annual report that it may be difficult for it to quickly or effectively execute any contingency plans related to future events similar to the Gulf of Mexico oil spill? 
Hon HEKIA PARATA 
: I do not have responsibility for Anadarko’s annual report. 
Metiria Turei 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. The question was about her responsibility as a Minister to provide certainty or assurance to New Zealanders about what might happen or a contingency plan if there is an oil spill. I think it is within her responsibility to give a more reasonable response than that one. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The problem was that the member’s question went on further than that and talked about I believe the corporation’s annual report or a similar document. The Minister focused on that part of the question in her answer. If the member had asked just the first part of the question then we might have been able to pin down the Minister more. 
Metiria Turei 
: I seek leave to table page 30 of the 2010 annual report of the Anadarko Petroleum Corporation which states that it would be difficult for it to quickly or effectively execute any contingency plans related to events similar to the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection? There is no objection. 
Document by leave laid on the Table of the House.