Ruth
DYSON
Conservation Spokesperson 251659264

9 October 2011 MEDIA STATEMENT
Answers and action, not questions, needed now

Rather than raising questions over why a ship hit a reef, the Prime Minister should surely be asking himself why the response to such an inevitability has been so slow and why those responsible for it were so woefully under-prepared, Labour’s Conservation spokesperson Ruth Dyson says.

“The weather in the area where the Rena ran aground has been calm for four days. Tauranga is a major shipping port, yet much of the specialised equipment needed to deal with oils spills is having to be brought from Australia, and the experts from Holland.

“In the meantime we have marine and bird life suffering and irreversible damage being done to the environment. Locals are already talking about the impact on tourism and on kai moana. The Prime Minister himself is talking about the worst-case scenario,” Ruth Dyson said.

“Local residents in Maketu and Little Waihi are understandably anxious about the oil slick reaching the coastline there.

“The area incorporates the most important wetlands in the Bay of Plenty - wetlands of national and international significance. The only way to protect them is with booms placed across each of the harbour entrances.

“More photo opportunities and press conferences won’t help. We have just one chance and the window to deliver that help is pretty much closed.

“Both John Key and Transport Minister Steven Joyce have made a lot of noise. But what they really need to be doing is answering a few questions.

“Questions such as: What advice has the Prime Minister received from his transport officials about the powers available to the Minister of Transport under the Maritime Transport Act 1994?

“How long is he prepared to wait before employing the government's capacity to intervene?

“Will he release any advice that he has received about the government's options so that Bay of Plenty residents can be assured that the government is doing all that it can to lessen the impact of this catastrophe?

“The Government has taken urgent action on the Rugby World Cup and police surveillance powers. What we need is for it do the same now,” Ruth Dyson said.

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