Carter Chris: Marine Animals Protection Law Reform Bill — First Reading 
Carter Chris: Marine Animals Protection Law Reform Bill — First Reading 
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Hon CHRIS CARTER (Labour—Te Atatu) 
: 
 I rise to support this Marine Animals Protection Law Reform Bill which sets out to give greater protection to some of New Zealand’s unique species. I feel well qualified to speak on this bill. For 5 years from 2002 to 2007 I was privileged to be New Zealand’s Minister of Conservation. During that time I was a passionate and very public advocate of greater marine mammal protection. I frequently fought with the Ministry of Fisheries occasionally with my colleagues who held the portfolio of Minister of Fisheries—I see one here tonight—and also of course not least of all with the Seafood Industry Council. 
The previous speaker Amy Adams talked about the importance of marine protection. In fact she made reference to a proposal to have a marine reserve in Akaroa Harbour. Well how interesting that statement was in this House when Mr Groser one of our successors as Minister of Conservation has just instructed the Department of Conservation that there will be no more marine reserve applications. I am proud that in the 5 years I had the job I created 17 marine reserves. Mr Groser and his Government are creating none. How astonishing to have a National member say that she would like to see one in Akaroa Harbour! I guess that she had better speak to her Minister. 
She could also talk to him a little about the cut to funding to Enviroschools an incredibly positive learning programme that has been taking place in about 30 percent of New Zealand’s schools. It is a programme that has been copied in Chile and elsewhere in the world because it was so successful not only in raising knowledge about conservation and environmental issues but also in creating incredible learning experiences for young people. 
I attended five International Whaling Commission conferences as the Minister of Conservation. I was proud that I was able to be a strong advocate for the great whale species. A number of colleagues from the Green Party and Labour have mentioned how unique our marine environment is. New Zealand’s marine environment the area that we have legal jurisdiction over covers some 480 million hectares of ocean. That is the fourth-largest marine jurisdiction in the world. New Zealand is a great oceanic country. Its marine area covers 27 times its land area. The vast marine area that we are responsible for is home to many unique endemic species. Several colleagues have mentioned the 50 species of marine mammals that are found in that area. There are already 15000 identified marine species ranging from marine birds to unique fish species unique seaweeds unique corals and not least of all unique mammals. 
Our Government was a signatory to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity. We are therefore committed to maintaining New Zealand’s unique biodiversity. It is a taonga a treasure for the current generation and future generations. We have an incredible responsibility to future generations of New Zealanders to look after the species that we have in this vast marine realm. 
I mentioned that there are 50 species of marine mammal. Over half of the world’s species of whales swim through our seas. These whales are incredibly vulnerable. Only 5 percent of the number of humpbacks exist today compared with the number that existed before whaling began. We have two unique endemic species of dolphins. I thank our Maori Party colleague Hone Harawira for the support of the Maori Party for this legislation in Metiria Turei’s name because it is very important. Maori people especially appreciate the importance of future generations. With regard to our two unique dolphin species Hector’s dolphin and Maui’s dolphin Hone mentioned that there are 111 Maui’s dolphin left and perhaps 7500 Hector’s dolphins. All of these species are at risk through inappropriate fishing practices. For many years when I was the Minister of Conservation I debated with the fishing industry about safe methods of using nets particularly in the Southern Ocean in the hoki fishery during ling fishing and so on. 
I seek leave for a 2-minute extension for my speech. 
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought for that purpose. Is there any objection? There—[ 
Interruption 
] 
Hon CHRIS CARTER 
: Oh I see. So we let Eric Roy— 
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER 
: Maybe the member could seek leave again. 
Hon CHRIS CARTER 
: I seek leave for a 2-minute extension. 
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought for a 2-minute extension. Is there any objection? There is no objection. 
Hon CHRIS CARTER 
: I thank the House for this extension of time. 
Members in this House especially those who were MPs before the 2008 election will know that I am a very passionate conservationist. In fact the nicest thing that has ever been written about me in the media was in a Japanese daily which described me as an environmental extremist. I took that as the greatest compliment that had ever been paid to me as a politician because I am passionate about our unique biodiversity in New Zealand. 
I have mentioned already this vast oceanic realm that we are responsible for and the unique species that are found there. I have made reference to the two dolphin species which are particularly vulnerable. The New Zealand sea lion is unique to our waters and is now restricted just to the Auckland Islands and the Campbell Islands which is a place I had the privilege of visiting when I was the Minister of Conservation. That species has been enormously reduced through the sealing programme that took place over 100 years ago. The southern right whale swims through our waters. We think there may be as few as 30 left that traverse through New Zealand waters. All of these statistics are statistics but they are actually more than that. They are a message to us as decision makers as politicians and as people who shape this country to protect these species. If we do not protect them they will be lost. There are simple ways of protecting these species. 
My colleague David Parker who is now Labour’s conservation spokesperson talked about the unique species of petrel seabird and albatross that nest around many of the islands particularly in the southern part of our country. There are fishing techniques that have been developed here in New Zealand and elsewhere in the world that can enormously reduce the mortality of albatross species in particular. 
One of the Government members just talked about our strategy on seabirds which was developed I have to say proudly while I was conservation Minister. That strategy is about getting the fishing industry to adopt best practice. I have to tell members that it is enormously difficult to get cooperation from the fishing industry on even simple things such as how we put out longlines for fishing and how we bring in nets. The fishing industry had a totally extractive commercial view on this. It was not about jobs; it was about cutting costs as much as it could. If we have to spend a little bit more to save what is unique about New Zealand I am all for that.