10. CHRIS AUCHINVOLE (National—West Coast - Tasman) Link to this
to the Minister for the Environment
What decision has the Government announced today with effect to the establishment of a new stand-alone Environmental Protection Authority?
Hon Dr NICK SMITH (Minister for the Environment) Link to this
I was pleased to announce this morning, at the Environmental Defence Society conference in Auckland, Cabinet’s decision on Monday for a stand-alone Environmental Protection Authority. I welcome the fact that the Environmental Defence Society issued a release warmly welcoming the decision. This will bring under one roof a wide range of environment regulatory functions and will provide strong national direction to the environment roles of district and regional councils.
How does the Environmental Protection Authority fit into the Government’s broader plans for environmental management?
Hon Dr NICK SMITH Link to this
The Government’s overall environment framework is to have the Ministry for the Environment as a well-focused policy ministry, to have the Environmental Protection Authority responsible for efficient regulation, and to have the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment as the independent auditor. This was a policy that National promised in the 2008 election. It is about ensuring this Government meets its goal of growing the economy while effectively protecting New Zealand’s environment.
Brendon BurnsTalofa lava. When the Minister told the New Zealand Planning Institute on 8 May last year that he wanted “the expanded EPA fully operational by 1 July 2010”, did he envisage an increase in the number of staff working on national environment standards—an increase not guaranteed in the Cabinet paper he has released today?
Hon Dr NICK SMITH Link to this
The first phase of the Resource Management Act review on 1 October last year was for the national consenting function of the Environmental Protection Authority to start up, and there is provision in the Budget for about $13 million for that function. The announcements I have made today involve transfer of about 50 staff, both from my colleague Gerry Brownlee’s ministry, the Ministry of Economic Development, and the Ministry for the Environment, to beef up the overall capacity of that Environmental Protection Authority. I make no apologies to the member for the fact that this is not a Government that wants big bureaucracy; it wants efficient Government agencies, and that is what we will achieve with the Environmental Protection Authority.
How will this new authority assist New Zealand to better manage environmental issues in its exclusive economic zone?
Hon Dr NICK SMITH Link to this
The authority will provide for additional functions to ensure that the huge area of ocean covered by the exclusive economic zone has world best practice environmental protection. I think we have all been reminded of the importance of that with the environmental tragedy that has occurred in the Gulf of Mexico. The Government is determined to ensure that New Zealand’s marine environment is properly protected as we expand petroleum exploration and development in the exclusive economic zone.
Rahui KateneHow would a new stand-alone Environmental Protection Authority, or indeed any Government agency, protect the interests of the hapū within Te Whānau-a-Apanui and Ngāti Porou in the event of drilling and exploration in the Raukūmara basin, such that any environmental catastrophe would be prevented?
Hon Dr NICK SMITH Link to this
I acknowledge the input of the Māori Party in today’s announcement, particularly the strong advocacy by the Hon Dr Pita Sharples on behalf of Māori for the robust Environmental Protection Authority model that the Government opted for on Monday. This model provides for appropriate Māori input into the Environmental Protection Authority’s role. As well as that, the Minister for Economic Development and I have commissioned an independent report to ensure that our exclusive economic zone regulatory proposals represent best practice, so that we can assure those important people that their environment will be protected.