Hughes Gareth: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Hughes Gareth: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Advance Copy - Subject to minor change before inclusion in Bound Volume.] 
10. 
GARETH HUGHES (Green) 
 to the  
Minister of Transport 
: Will he commit to holding a Royal Commission or a Commission of Inquiry into the Government’s response to the grounding of the Rena? 
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE (Minister of Transport) 
: 
 The current focus remains on the salvage and clean-up efforts. The independent Transport Accident Investigation Commission is investigating the grounding and can be expected to make any recommendations required on matters to improve shipping safety. Meanwhile Maritime New Zealand’s regulatory investigation has already seen  
Rena 
 crew facing charges before the courts. In due course we will consider the nature of any independent inquiry should it be required. 
Gareth Hughes 
: Why now 148 days after the  
Rena 
 grounding—described by environment Minister Nick Smith as New Zealand’s worst environment disaster in decades—has the Government not yet announced a royal commission of inquiry or commission of inquiry considering the Pike River inquiry was announced 20 days after that incident the Canterbury earthquake inquiry was announced 48 days after that crisis and the average for all royal commissions and commissions of inquiry is 41 days? 
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE 
: There is no competition here to see who can get the inquiry in the shortest period of time. We have two investigations going on at the moment. One of those has led to court action being taken; that is progressing at the present time. The  
Rena 
 is still on the reef and the clean-up operation continues as will the salvage operation. 
Gareth Hughes 
: Does the Minister stand by the Prime Minister’s statement to Gary Taylor of the Environmental Defence Society that it is his expectation to have some sort of independent inquiry into the aftermath of the  
Rena 
 grounding; if so in what time frame will we see an announcement of a royal commission or a commission of inquiry? 
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE 
: The Prime Minister made the commitment to an independent inquiry but at the moment there are inquiries taking place by the Transport Accident Investigation Commission and by Maritime New Zealand itself and of course there is a massive clean-up going on there as well. There is a natural sequence to these things that will unfold and in time we will make a decision about the nature of an inquiry that might be required to further find out what happened. 
Grant Robertson 
: Can the Minister confirm the statement made by officials at the select committee this morning that undertaking work to draft legislation to ratify the bunker convention which would significantly limit the liability for taxpayers in situations like the  
Rena 
 grounding was not a priority; and if so will he instruct his officials to make it a priority? 
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE 
: I was not at the select committee this morning so I would be very unwise to agree with anything that was quoted by the member. 
Grant Robertson 
: Does the Minister think it should be a priority for his officials to draft legislation to ensure that the bunker convention is ratified and implemented by New Zealand? 
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE 
: I think that my officials should be engaged in firstly ensuring that we get a good outcome from the discussions with the owners of the vessel about what they will contribute to the very significant cost that the New Zealand taxpayer has had to meet and then of course considering what the best position for New Zealand might be moving forward. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: It would have been quite helpful had the Minister made some reference to the substance of the question in relation to legislation in relation to the bunker— 
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I thought I was very clear. If you could understand the vagaries of the Rt Hon Winston Peters’ questions it seems to me you should have been able to— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Order! The member knows that that is no way to use a point of order and because he did that I invite Grant Robertson to repeat his question for all to hear it clearly. 
Hon Member 
: Point of order Mr Speaker. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: No no. I have invited Grant Robertson to repeat his question. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. That sort of insult really requires an apology particularly from some illiterate woodwork teacher. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Order! The member just heard me tell the Hon Gerry Brownlee that his point of order was totally out of order. OK I did it in reasonably good humour. The member knows he cannot use points of order to abuse other members. He will now leave the House. I will not tolerate the point of order process being used to abuse other members. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters withdrew from the Chamber. 
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. With respect I was asked whether I considered it a priority for officials to advance the bunker provisions which the member was questioning on. I said I thought the priority should be first engaging with the owners to conclude negotiations over what they will pay for the costs that the taxpayers have been encumbered with and then we would look to what would be the best options for New Zealand to protect itself in the future. I think that is a perfectly clear answer. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: With respect I have invited the member to repeat his question. I will hear his repeated question. 
Grant Robertson 
: Does the Minister think it is a priority for his officials to undertake the work to draft legislation to ratify the bunker convention which would limit the liability of New Zealand taxpayers in situations like the  
Rena 
 grounding? 
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE 
: I will expand a little on what I just said on the previous question. I think it should be a priority—and it is a priority—for my officials to work towards getting a good outcome from negotiations with the owners of the  
Rena 
 so that the expenses that the taxpayers have incurred to date are minimised. Going forward I would like to point out that any convention we might sign will have its own limitations. We do not know yet where we are going to end up out of this negotiation therefore cannot know what would be a good level of limitation that might be put into legislation. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I thank the Minister.