The Green Party welcomes the Government’s invitation to a Parliamentary select committee to inquire into seabed mining and whether current law and regulations are appropriate but says it would prefer faster action to ban seabed mining in our domestic waters and EEZ.

“Deep sea mining destroys the seabed, smothers marine life with sediment and needs to be stopped before it becomes widespread. We need to put the health of our ocean’s habitats and ecosystems ahead of the profits of international mining corporations,” says Green Party oceans and fisheries spokesperson, Eugenie Sage.

Environment Minister David Parker announced today that rather than supporting a private members’ bill banning seabed mining, he has referred the issue to Parliament’s Environment Select Committee.

“We are pleased that this issue will receive Parliamentary attention. The Green Party would prefer that Labour supported Debbie Ngarewa Packer’s Prohibition on Seabed Mining Legislation Amendment Bill at first reading so that the bill can be debated, referred to a select committee and amended as required.

“That would achieve select committee scrutiny similar to the government’s announcement today - but with the benefit of MPs being able to consider an actual law change.

“We need to do better than leaving it to iwi, environmental organisations, the local conservation board and fishers to defend our seabed and oceans from destructive mining as has happened with past seabed mining applications in New Zealand’s EEZ.

“The Green Party has always said that we just need the political will to make changes that will transform our relationship with the oceans, from one of exploitation to one of respect and protection.

“While a Select Committee inquiry will undoubtedly focus MPs’ minds on the importance of marine biodiversity and the impacts of mining companies sucking up the seabed, the Government has sidestepped a decision to avoid industrial scale exploitation of our ocean floor.

“We all know the challenges our oceans face. The solutions to those challenges are the same as they ever were. If there are more Green MPs at the decision making table after the election, we can take immediate action to protect the seabed and the health of our territorial sea and EEZ from this destructive activity.

“The Greens would also like Labour to take a stand against mining on protected public lands and support my member’s bill to protect conservation land from new mining which is also due for debate next week,” says Eugenie Sage.

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