Turei Metiria: Marine Animals Protection Law Reform Bill — First Reading 
Turei Metiria: Marine Animals Protection Law Reform Bill — First Reading 
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METIRIA TUREI (Co-Leader—Green) 
: 
 I thank members for their contributions this evening on my Marine Animals Protection Law Reform Bill particularly those who have spoken in support of the legislation. The kind words about the bill and the issue of marine animal protection and its importance are much appreciated. 
I will refer briefly to a few comments made by National members. I note a few things. The first is that no Minister with a relevant portfolio has bothered to speak on this legislation. No Minister of the Crown has spoken on the legislation. It is the first truly environmental conservation legislation to come before this Parliament since the last election and no Minister has bothered to speak on it. For all that the National members talk about their blue-green approach to issues and their new-found interest in environmental issues the lack of commitment from any Minister who holds an environmental portfolio to be present in the House and to speak on this bill is a disgrace. It clearly shows that this Government has a complete lack of commitment to true environmental protection and to the protection of our species and the economy the industries to which our environment contributes to such a significant extent. 
I say to Colin King that paua are not marine animals for the purposes of this legislation. He gave a generous speech but none the less it was inaccurate. I also just note that when I tried to find out from National members whether they would vote for this bill—and it took some time in fact some days to get a clear position—it was not the Minister of Conservation who rang me to talk about this bill but I found that the Minister of Fisheries was handling this issue. Listening to the speeches that have been given by members this evening it is clear where National puts issues like the protection of marine animal species such as the albatrosses in this photograph which as members can see were found dead due to activities in the fishing industry. National appears to give the fishing industry a much greater level of decision making or a greater role in this issue. 
I note that Amy Adams talked about the importance of jobs and I will get on to that in a moment. I also note that Amy Adams said that current legislation provides adequate protection which of course is rubbish. I feel very disappointed that Ms Adams was not able to give a rational or logical contribution to this debate because the whole point of this legislation is to give adequate protection to marine animals. Indeed the Bluegreens’ manifesto on its website clearly describes marine protection legislation as a “regulatory mess”. The Bluegreens say it is a regulatory mess but Ms Adams has obviously not bothered to read that Bluegreens’ National Party document. That is the position of the Bluegreens at least. However the Bluegreens obviously have no influence in the National Party because there is simply no adequate protection. 
This is a photograph of Hector’s dolphins. This image will be branded for New Zealand tourism and New Zealand conservation: dead dolphins. At some point quite possibly under the leadership of a National Government we may well see the extinction of our most vulnerable endangered marine dolphin species Maui’s dolphin. 
I note too that it is not just dolphins that have a good public image if you like. Other vulnerable and endangered species include the New Zealand sea lion. Despite the fact that they have absolute protection under the current legislation they are none the less able to be part of the by-catch under the fishing legislation for the squid fishery. I note that last year in the last fishing season 72 New Zealand sea lions were killed by the fishing industry. They were killed lawfully under the marine protection legislation that we have in place. Clearly the legislation is failing. Clearly these animals are dying as a result of the lack of protection. Clearly National does not care that we are losing these iconic species which are so key to our tourism industry. 
There are other broad issues. I would very much like both the industry and Maori in particular to be able to come to the select committee to give us their views about this issue. That is why we send bills to select committees—so that we get that consultation that discussion with our community which is affected by the decisions we make. I would welcome this bill’s referral to a select committee; that is why we would like to see it go before a select committee. However National is preventing that dialogue from occurring. 
This photograph of dead albatrosses will become the image of the special protection the special place that Amy Adams considers our marine animals to have in the New Zealand economy and in New Zealand conservation. This is the New Zealand brand under National.