Labour supports call for better environmental protections
new-zealand-labour-party
Sun Apr 03 2011 12:00:00 GMT+1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)
Labour supports call for better environmental protections
Sunday, 3 April 2011, 12:39 pm
Press Release: New Zealand Labour Party
Labour supports call for better environmental protections for minerals exploration
Labour’s Environment spokesperson Charles Chauvel says the Government must listen to those protesting this weekend about the lack of any environmental protections for oil exploration in New Zealand waters.
"The Gulf of Mexico oil spill last year should serve as a big wake up call, and we need to ensure that proper protections are in place here during exploration activity, so the danger of a similar disaster off our shores is minimised,” Charles Chauvel says.
"Unfortunately, the Government has turned a blind eye to the disaster's lessons and the resultant public outcry. I have ascertained, through parliamentary questions, that Petrobras, which is the focus of this weekend's protests, is amongst eight beneficiaries of exploration permits awarded since the Gulf oil spill, with absolutely no conditions around environmental protection attached to the licence.
"The Government is undertaking a review of oil exploration safety, but it won't be complete in time for the next big chunk of exploration permits, in the Pegasus block off Canterbury’s coast, which opens to permit bids next month,” Charles Chauvel said.
"With a big increase in prospecting, the Government must change the law in this area urgently to put safety and environmental considerations to the fore. This should be a priority for Environment Minister Nick Smith and Acting Energy Minister Hekia Parata, but instead they refuse to act.
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"The soon-to-be reported back EPA Bill was an ideal opportunity for the Government to take action here. But despite promises from Nick Smith last year, it contains nothing to regulate this sort of activity in New Zealand's Exclusive Economic Zone
“National has no plan to protect the environment. But Labour does, and the absolute gap in any environmental safety regulation for offshore minerals exploration is one of the first ones that we will fill as soon as we have the opportunity.”
ends
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