30 April 2002

New Zealand's Waste Strategy, launched last month, will be one of the features at a meeting of Australian and New Zealand environment ministers in Australia this week.

Environment Minister Marian Hobbs leaves tomorrow for Hobart to attend three ministerial council meetings covering Natural Resource Management, Primary Industries and Environment Protection and Heritage.

"The Australians are doing a lot of work on specific waste streams and are trying to decide which issues deserve national collaboration," Marian Hobbs said. "I have been invited to outline for them how we have developed our waste strategy in partnership with local government and business."

Marian Hobbs will also be outlining the operation of New Zealand's Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act and the Environmental Risk Management Authority as Australian states develop a national approach to chemical management and regulation.

Among other items on the agenda are environment monitoring and reporting, control of alien pests including red fire ants which have appeared in both countries and preparations for September's World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg.

Marian Hobbs returns to New Zealand early on Saturday.

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