5. Question No. 5—EnvironmentHon EUGENIE SAGE (Green) to the Minister for the EnvironmentQuestion No. 5—Environment5. Hon EUGENIE SAGE (Green) to the Minister for the Environment: What recent advice if any has he received about the extent and severity of contamination from New Zealand Aluminium Smelters' operation at Tīwai Point?Hon DAVID PARKER (Minister for the Environment): I apologise to the House. I wasn't paying proper attention. I have received advice based on publicly available information—SPEAKER: Order! Order! I'm now going to ask the—I don't want to go right back to the beginning and have a replay but at least start the answer again.Hon DAVID PARKER: I have received advice based on publicly available information estimating the likely contamination at Tīwai Point. The Government has been unable to access any detailed information from New Zealand Aluminium Smelters Limited or its owners Rio Tinto or Sumitomo Corporation as to the condition of the site. Central government has not been able to access the site ourselves for inspection purposes. Under the Resource Management Act it's local government that has the right to enter and investigate the contamination of sites. The Government has provided up to $300000 to Environment Southland to support them undertaking an on-site investigation. Work by the regional council with the smelter is still ongoing and I await a detailed report on the actual contamination of the smelter site.Hon Eugenie Sage: Is he satisfied with the smelter's treatment management and storage of hazardous waste such as cyanide from spent cell liners and if not why not?Hon DAVID PARKER: I am not yet in a position to judge that. We have had some difficulties getting cooperation from the smelter in respect of these matters although at the latest meeting that we had with the new chief executive of Rio Tinto smelters in Australasia—a meeting at which the Deputy Prime Minister the Minister of Energy and Resources and myself were present by Zoom—there was a noticeable change of tone from the smelter and one of the things they said was that they intend to remove all of the concrete cathode linings and take proper responsibility for them.Hon Eugenie Sage: Has he received advice that confirms reports that up to 20000 tonnes of toxic waste is unaccounted for and potentially buried somewhere where it could contaminate groundwater and Foveaux Strait?Hon DAVID PARKER: The only report I've seen in respect of that was from Environment Southland who recorded that statement being made by a former employee of the smelter. I have not been able to verify whether that assertion is correct or not but I'm sure it's one of the matters that Environment Southland will be investigating.Hon Eugenie Sage: Do the Ministry for the Environment and Environment Southland have all the powers they need to require New Zealand Aluminium Smelters to properly clean up and remediate Tīwai Point before the company exits and if not what are the gaps in the law?Hon DAVID PARKER: Well one of the gaps in the law relates to events that occurred very early in the life of the smelter some decades ago before environmental laws are as they currently are. As to whether we will be able to sheet home responsibility to the owners of the smelter for all of that historic contamination of the land the position on that is not yet negotiated nor clear.Hon Eugenie Sage: Will the Natural and Built Environments Bill planned for consideration by Parliament next month fill those gaps in relation to Tīwai and if not when can New Zealanders expect new legislation to fill such gaps?Hon DAVID PARKER: In respect of the part of the Natural and Built Environments Bill that is going to the select committee for an inquiry those equivalents of Part 2 of the Resource Management Act are not likely to include the detail that the member just referred to.Hon Eugenie Sage: Is he considering Australian-style laws to enforce remediation and site clean ups by caught companies which create the pollution?Hon DAVID PARKER: I have sought advice and will be seeking more advice from the Ministry for the Environment as to whether our hazardous waste legislation is fit for purpose.