Govt should listen to environmental heavyweights on EEZ

An open letter from respected environmental organisations urging the Government to make changes to the Exclusive Economic Zone Bill should prompt an urgent re-think of the legislation, says Labour’s Environment Spokesperson Grant Robertson.

“The Environmental Defence Society, Forest and Bird and WWF have tried to work with the Government to give the Bill some clarity and to ensure it is in line with New Zealand’s international commitments to protect and preserve the marine environment.

“They have now released their letter to Minister Amy Adams expressing their profound concerns with the Bill as it stands.

“Labour joins with these groups in urging the Minister to re-think the key clauses of this Bill. We voted against the Bill on its First Reading in Parliament because we believed that the regime it set up to manage activities in the high seas that New Zealand is responsible for was too weak and lacked clarity. We still hold that view.  

“We acknowledge that there will be economic activity in the EEZ and there needs to be robust laws to govern that activity.  That is what New Zealanders would expect. 

“We believe that the law needs to put the protection and preservation of the marine environment at the top of the list.  The most important place to do that is in the purpose clause of the Bill. 

“This should be in line with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea where, as the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment has said, ‘economic activity is optional, but protection and preservation of the marine environment is not’.

“Labour has other concerns with the Bill including more consistency with the RMA, the role of adaptive management, public participation and rights of appeal. These issues can be worked through to provide legislation that would be enduring beyond the life of this Government.

“Industry, local government and NGOs have all said they want a regime that has clarity and certainty.  The Minister should listen to these environmental organisations and make the changes to the Bill that will provide for this,” said Grant Robertson.