Gallagher Martin: Waste Minimisation (Solids) Bill — Second Reading 
Gallagher Martin: Waste Minimisation (Solids) Bill — Second Reading 
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MARTIN GALLAGHER (Labour—Hamilton West) 
: 
 It is a great pleasure to rise in support of this bill and I certainly noted the comments of the previous speaker Nick Smith. I think it is appropriate that I take the opportunity to speak firstly because I was on the Local Government and Environment Committee for part of the consideration of this bill. I was personally fascinated by the range of submissions—through that process I came to more fully appreciate the number of enterprises and businesses that are now focused on waste minimisation—and by the number of very very constructive contributions and suggestions. 
Secondly I want to give a big bouquet to Moana Mackey and the select committee but the major bouquet tonight is of course reserved for Nandor Tanczos. As a Waikato member of Parliament I say that we are going to be sorry to see him go. I will take an opportunity within the context of the Standing Orders in speaking to this bill to give my personal best wishes to him in the next phase of his life. 
This bill is a very good example of the significant contribution Nandor Tanczos has made to this place. One does not have to agree with Nandor’s every viewpoint—that is not what democracy is about—but if ever there was a member who made a solid contribution it is Nandor Tanczos. I say to Nandor that we are very proud to have him as a son of the Waikato. We hope he will continue to play a role in our region but whatever that role and life journey is we wish him well. 
It is no mean achievement for a member’s bill to attract what appears to be the overwhelming support of the House to be adopted as legislation by the House and to become part of our country’s law. No doubt in the future this measure will come to be known as Nandor’s bill in school books in environment classes and all of that—and so it should be. 
I will tell a bit of a story if I may then I want to highlight and re-emphasise some points in the bill as the Minister for the Environment did. It is easy to stand in this House and say the right things and what we should be doing as a nation but I will tell a somewhat funny story. A couple of years ago I put out a media release encouraging people to have compost bins which is another very practical thing that households can do. My wife is not backward in pointing out some inconvenient truths and in the end she put the article about the need for recycling on our own kitchen waste bin. She was forever saying: “I’ll tell the Greens. I’ll go and tell Jeanette Fitzsimons on you because you have double standards. You are a hypocrite.” She literally said that—seriously. So in the end she put the article—in which I was quoted as talking about the need for waste minimisation through compost—on to the kitchen bin. It was very interesting because on several occasions I would go to put in a can a plastic bottle or something and the article was there to remind me. 
Although what I am saying is at my own expense I am making the point that in terms of behaviour and brain-wiring if that is the term we have all been wired through different phases and different generations to do those kinds of things without thinking. Hamilton now has—as do other cities—a well-developed recycling system. Over time we develop new habits—it is just a basic individual thing. The point I am trying to make is that it is easy to stand up and give these speeches about doing these good things but each of us individually has to make our contribution and there are some very practical things that we can do. In my case it was somewhat extreme. My spouse was threatening to give a report to my Green friends if I did not change my habits and I have gone some way towards doing that. 
This example is a bit anecdotal but one can now find oneself going to motels or hotels and being really interested in where the recycling bin is in the unit and being told: “Oh we’re just managing it for the weekend. What do you mean? What are you talking about?”. I hope this legislation will start to move us forward so that there is a buy-in across the board not just in terms of what we do in our homes but also in accommodation which is a very important area and in the shopping malls and shopping precincts. As I understand this bill it will be a very practical platform for this exercise. Let us highlight again what the bill does which is to place a levy on all waste disposed of in a landfill. Revenue from the levy will be used to help communities and businesses address waste issues. 
I can tell members another story. It was when Marian Hobbs was the Minister for the Environment. As members will know in the Waikato we have things such as the tyre mountain. These are horrendous environmental issues. We are a small country that has the second-highest ownership of cars per head—I think we come after the United States. These are major issues. I apologise to Marian Hobbs because I probably gave her a hard time on that issue but to her great credit she was very understanding and very proactive. 
But again what has come out—and Nandor will know about this in terms of the problems that say the Waikato District Council has had—is that that was just one example of where these issues were falling between the cracks in relation to what could be done legally in regard to property owners and so on. At one end we have the extreme situation of the tyre mountain and at the other end the more practical things we can do in our homes. 
I note the current Minister for the Environment has also given very very warm support to the Waste Minimisation (Solids) Bill. The bill also encourages responsibility by producers brand owners importers retailers consumers and other parties for the environmental effects of their products. The Local Government and Environment Committee received some really brilliant submissions from producers and manufacturers. I am trying to remember one in particular and I think it was either electrical goods or to do with motor vehicle production. The manufacturers are looking at the lifetime of a vehicle from production to the end stage. When people think of places like Turners Auctions they think they just deal in second-hand cars. When talking to management it was interesting to learn that these people are tuning into the whole life cycle of vehicles. 
There are some really good examples now of innovative thinking by businesses. They have come on board. It is fair to say that 20 years ago that would have probably been outside the frame. The bill allows regulation on the reporting of waste in respect of territorial authorities and for operators of landfalls and recycling facilities to improve information on waste; and it clarifies the roles and responsibilities of territorial authorities in respect of waste minimisation. 
I think Dr Nick Smith made a very valid contribution if I heard him correctly about the role of local government and local communities and those kinds of initiatives. We remember the other practical things like glass bottles for milk as they have in the UK even now. We remember when they got rid of our glass milk bottles and gave us plastic and said it would be dare I say it plastic fantastic and no problem. But we remember the mountains of used milk containers and how many of us dutifully went along to the local school to be part of the recycling effort but there was nothing beyond that. So that is another example whereby we need a product container—in this case looking at the historical plastic container for milk which is a good example—that can be used from start to finish; whereby we can recycle and reproduce that item and not get those mountains of used containers. That is where local communities and certainly local government and local authorities can give leadership at a local level in promoting recycling. The work they do with industry is very important. It is hoped that this bill will encourage manufacturers and producers in terms of the kinds of containers they produce. 
There was also an interesting submission from people who deal in cosmetics looking at how some of those people could fall out of the system because of all those little cosmetics bottles. I use that as an example to show that where an industry plays ball and exceeds the standards then the industry should be encouraged and rewarded. Obviously we want to bring in some of these other fringe operators who do not have quite the same standards. 
I notice the new board will give the Minister for the Environment independent advice on waste minimisation issues and hopefully the board will have a cross-section of New Zealanders with a cross-section of expertise. In my view it should not represent narrow sectorial interests but should realise the degree of talent and experience out there. Again industry and local government participation is very very important. 
Without further ado in the brief time I have left I want sincerely and genuinely to compliment Nandor on this bill. I think this is a fantastic achievement by him. He is a great son of the Waikato. He has made is making and will continue to make a great contribution. If I do not have a chance to say this publicly to Nandor then I say that we in the Waikato wish him well. This is another example of a very good Waikato MP doing a great job and I give my compliments to him.