Court SimonSIMON COURT (ACT): New Zealand is known internationally as a responsible and sustainable nation which other countries look up to because of the way we've been able to manage our natural resources. That is why New Zealand has supported developing regulations to manage the risk of deep-sea mining in places like the Pacific in international waters where nations are not able to extend their own environmental controls into those areas which are not subject to national governance like our economic zone is. But ACT will oppose this bill not because we do not wish to see an exploration of all of the environmental effects to understand the pros and cons but because banning this activity would have significant social and economic knock-on effects particularly to regions like Taranaki which have blossomed as a result of the energy developments that have taken place over the past decades. This bill—[Interruption] ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Poto Williams): Order! I apologise to the member. Would you resume your seat. I'm sorry to say to members of the public in the gallery that I have respectfully asked that you keep your comments and your voices low. If you continue to interject I may have to ask you to leave the gallery. This is my final warning to you. I do this respectfully knowing that you must know that I have to as Speaker hear the comments and the commentary from the members in the Chamber which I cannot do if you are making interjections from the gallery.SIMON COURT: Many companies have invested heavily in exploration and development in our waters and they have received lawful permits and consents to do so. This bill would effectively strip them of their property rights without any compensation which not only is unfair but would undermine the rule of law in this country.Furthermore this bill would risk cutting off New Zealand's natural gas supply which would threaten our energy security at a time when it has never been more important. With gas being a crucial energy and manufacturing production source for our country it's essential we do not limit our options for its production. Seabed mining also has the potential to unlock phenomenal energy and mineral resources that can help transform our environment in other ways. It can make our country self-sufficient when it comes to some of these minerals. Banning this activity is not a sensible or sustainable option for New Zealand. Instead mining for energy and minerals provides high-income jobs in regions like Taranaki so that a young person who might not have finished school who might not have got the best start in life can still aspire to be one of the highest-earning New Zealanders if they work in the energy sector—for example in Taranaki. Those workers can provide for family and extended family with the income they earn from working in these sectors and I am sure there are people here in the House and in the gallery who have friends and family members who work in energy and resources either here in New Zealand or in Australia and who know exactly what I am talking about. Now like the former Prime Minister who announced a ban on oil and gas exploration those who advocate for prohibiting a lawful and well-managed activity while taking advantage of all the modern benefits that delivering those minerals and resources and gases does to our society risk being seen—they risk being seen—as ignorant and self-righteous.Now it is important to note that we already have a whole range of environmental controls and protections in place for the environment and marine mammals in places like the South Taranaki Bight. New Zealand engineers and scientists have demonstrated for over 50 years the capability to carry out mineral and petroleum developments in the marine environment while ensuring those impacts are well managed. We have a strong regulatory framework that ensures any activity in our waters is subject to rigorous consenting processes and that companies must demonstrate they can operate safely before any permits are granted. A ban on seabed mining is an excessive and unnecessary response to what are genuine and valid concerns about the risks that this activity might have on the environment. That's why instead we should focus on ensuring our regulatory framework is robust and that companies undertaking this activity are held to the highest environmental standards. We should work to ensure that any proposed activity is subject to a fair and transparent permitting process where evidence and information can be submitted tested in court to determine whether the activity is acceptable in terms of its risk to the environment.That's why ACT welcomes the opportunity to scrutinise proposals to explore and develop resources in the marine environment so that we can evaluate those effects. ACT is confident these activities should be able to proceed in a controlled and safe manner. That's why we oppose this bill.