Significant flaws in EEZ bill – Environment Commissioner

Thursday, 9 February 2012, 2:26 pm
Press Release: Parliamentary Commissioner For The Environment

Media Release
9th February, 2012

Significant flaws in EEZ bill – Environment Commissioner

The proposed Economic Exclusive Zone legislation has some significant flaws that undermine its environmental purpose the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment Dr Jan Wright told select committee today.

The legislation is intended to regulate activities in the EEZ such as deepwater oil exploration and phosphate mining.

Dr Wright says environmental protection of the EEZ is long overdue but needs to be done well.

“While I welcome this legislation I have some serious concerns about whether it can sufficiently protect this huge area of ocean.

“This legislation should be more focused on the environment; there is other legislation that provides economic balance.

“The international community has given us the right to develop these ocean resources under the Law of the Sea, but there are aspects of this Bill that are out of step with this Law.

“Thankfully most of these problems can be fixed with small changes in wording. I would hope that these changes are made.”

ENDS

A copy of the submission is available here

[Scoop copy: EEZWeb.pdf]

Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Regional Headlines

NEW ZEALAND POLITICS > >

BUDGET 2012 - FULL COVERAGE:

Education Budget: Budget 2012 Will Force Students Out Of University

EXMSS writes: Thousands of students attempting to complete degrees may be unable to finish without going into debt due to today’s budget, according to Massey University Extramural Students' Society. More>>

NZPF: Class Size Crisis Doesn’t Stop At Intermediates
The President of the New Zealand Principals’ Federation, Paul Drummond welcomes the decision to re-examine the proposed staff:student ratios for Intermediate Schools but warns that the working party needs to extend its brief.
‘The Treasury got this whole policy wrong,’ said Drummond, ‘They misread the research, failed to check with the professionals and completely ignored the parents,’ he said. More>>

HIGHER EDUCATION:

Students Reel At Budget Cuts To Allowances, Loans
Ministry of Education - Too soon to talk about redundancies
NZ Institute of Architects - New Student Allowance Regime Will Hit Architecture Students
Student Loan Changes Will Add To Mass Aussie Exodus - NZ First
Universities NZ - Te Pokai Tara - Budget Confirms Central Role Of Universities For Growth
AUSA - Students' fears confirmed in 2012 Budget
Tertiary Education Union - Further cuts for tertiary education

SCHOOLS:

NZEI - ForNZEI Welcomes Quality Recommendations for Under-5s
NZ Principals' Federation - Budget Bombs for Kiwi Kids’ Education
Tesolanz - Second language students disadvantaged by cuts to class size
PPTA - Budget “King Hit” On State Secondary Schools
NZEI - Class size increases: Myths versus Facts

.

ALSO:

NZ First - Freeze On Early Childhood Education Short-Sighted
Labour - New Zealand’s kids worse off under zero budget
Early Childhood Council - Early Childhood Council reacts to Budget
Kindergartens Inc - New Zealand Kindergarten Response to the 2012 Budget
NZEI - Budget confirms lack of investment in children
Martin Doyle Cartoons: Off To The Gold Coast - Oz-Terity Budget

Education Budget: Government Class Size Policy in Tatters

The Government’s announcement that it will cap teacher cuts at a maximum of two per school is an admission that its policy of increasing class sizes is in tatters, says NZEI Te Riu Roa National President Ian Leckie. More >>

Also:

Govt - Minister Provides Assurances to Schools
Labour - Minister Does an About-Face, Fails to Provide Details
Labour - PM’s Back-Pedalling Highlights Class Size Blunder
QPEC - Govt hypocrisy protects small classes at private schools
CCS - Increasing Class Sizes May Disadvantage the Most Vulnerable
Principals - Class Size Crisis Doesn’t Stop at Intermediates
Labour - Labour would reverse National’s class size increases
NZEI - Government backtrack doesn’t address education blunder
Labour - Dunedin Tech Teaching Positions in Jeopardy
Govt - Too soon to talk about redundancies – Ministry of Education

Aged Care In Crisis?
A Human Rights Commission inquiry which once again highlights the crisis aged care is in is the latest in a long series of wake up calls to the Government, Labour’s Aged care spokesman Kris Faafoi says. More >>

Also:

Goodhew - Govt Will Consider HRC Aged Care Recommendations
Elder Family Matters - Aged Care Report Must Not Be Ignored
Service And Food Workers Union - Crisis of Aged Care Exposed in Commission Report
NZNO - Nurses Organisation Backs Report on Aged Care Sector
Green Party - Green Party Back HRC’s Aged Care Recommendations
Labour - Time to Value; Not to Tinker
Alliance - Immediate Action Needed on Care Workers Wages
CTU - CTU Welcomes Hard Hitting Report into Aged Care Sector

Labour refers Liu case to Auditor-General

Labour Leader David Shearer has sent a letter to the Auditor-General asking her to investigate the decision-making process around the case involving Chinese businessman Bill Liu. More>>

Also:

Shearer - Court Finding on Bill Liu
Gordon Campbell - On Standing Down Shane Jones MP - Again

Rio Plus 20: Environmental Inaction Threatens NZ’s Natural Heritage
Less than a month before world leaders meet at a major environmental summit, a new report warns that New Zealand is failing to protect some of its iconic species and habitats following a series of broken promises made at the Earth Summit ... More >>

Also:

Environment Commissioner - Welcomes WWF Report
Greens - Government should be ashamed going to Rio
UN - Ban Asks Youth to ‘Make Some Noise’ Ahead Of Rio+20
Enviro Challenge - NZ to Send Youth Delegation to Rio+20 Conference
UN - Ban Names Post-2015 High-Level Panel Co-Chairs for Rio+20

Govt: Families Commission Refocused

Social Development Minister Paula Bennett has announced a major restructure of the Families Commission. “The way the Families Commission works is going to change.” More >>

Also:

United Future - Dunne Welcomes Families Commission Restructuring

Meridian dumps West Coast hydro plan

(Image: blog.greens.org.nz by Q)

May 22 (BusinessDesk) - Opposition to Meridian Energy's plans for a 100 Megawatt hydro-electric scheme on the undammed Mokihinui River on the South Island's West Coast has forced its abandonment, the state-owned power company has announced. More >>

Fisheries: Slave Labour And Foreign Vessels
The Government has announced it is to require reflagging of foreign-owned fishing vessels operating in New Zealand waters to address labour, safety and fisheries practice concerns. More >>

Also

NZ First Party - Ban on Foreign Fishing Vessels Supported by NZ First
Forest And Bird - Foreign fishing move solves some environmental problems
Maritime Union - Welcomes Decision to Reflag Foreign Vessels
CTU - Government Action on Foreign Charter Vessels Welcomed

Elections: Time Running Out to Take Part in Electoral Commission’s MMP Review

Time is running out to have your say on improvements you’d like to see made to our MMP voting system. With only two weeks to go until the first consultation period of the MMP Review closes, the Electoral Commission has received more than 3700 submissions ... More >>

Christchurch: More Green Zoning And More Red Zoning

Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee has announced the final decision in almost 11 months of flat land residential zoning in Canterbury…

“It brings the number of residential properties zoned red because they are unsuitable for residential occupation to 7256.” More >>

Gerry Brownlee also announced the green zoning of 421 residential properties in the Port Hills, leaving 1679 houses still under review. More>>

ALSO:

CERA - CBD Red Zone Cordon Reduction
Labour - Southshore: A Divided Verdict
Christchurch - Council Endorses Pausing Cathedral Demolition
Awa Press - Christchurch protests for new leadership will continue
Campbell - On The Government Is Ducking Responsibility For The Needs Of Christchurch
Rutherford Foundation - New techniques used to investigate Port Hills rock falls

BUDGET 2012:
Keith Ng Interactive Graphic: How the Budget Breaks Down
BUDGET 2012 - FULL COVERAGE:
Gordon Campbell: On the Budget’s Spreadsheet Victories

It wasn’t as if expectations were sky high, exactly. Chances are, it was always more likely that we’d be seeing Bigfoot rampage through the Beehive lock-up than catch a glimpse of a credible growth agenda from this government. Finance Minister Bill English did not disappoint on that score.More >>

Parliament Today: Govt Accused Of Breaking Deal
The Government was accused of breaking a deal over the passage of legislation on Tuesday night prompting a number of indignant speeches from Labour and other Opposition MPs. [click to continue…]

Also:

Questions and Answers: May 29 - Budget Promoted, Attacked And Defended - Prison Strip-Search Techniques Outdated - Questions for Oral Answer: May 29 - Bill English Delivers Budget 2012 - Strip-searches; Medicines; Election Inquiry- Bill English Delivers Budget 2012 - Questions and Answers: May 23 - Warming Up For The Budget And Taking Medicine - MPs Pecuniary Interests Register Released - Questions for Oral Answer: May 23 - Comparisons Between Prostitution And The Covered Bond Market - Questions and Answers: May 22 -Spooks Present Annual Reports - Questions for Oral Answer: May 22- Dealing with bills ahead of the budge

Iti Jailed In Operation 8 Case
October 15th Solidarity Group on Sentencing -The sentences of 2.5 years for Taame Iti and Rangi Kemara are manifestly unjust. This is an outrage. The sentences of Urs Signer and Emily Bailey are equally absurd. The judge sought to retry the entire case at sentencing today and himself decided their fate. It is an outrage.More>>

Also:

Q and A: Shane Taurima Interviews Peter Marshall
Ngati Manawa - Judge’s Sentencing ‘Over the Top’ Say Ngati Manawa
Judge’s Sentencing Notes In Urewera Four Case
Green Party - Comment on Urewera Sentencing
October 15th Solidarity Group - Sentencing Unjust
Police - No Apology for Urewera Investigation

Earlier Trial Coverage:

Budget 2012: Prescription Charges Help Fund Health
Health Minister Tony Ryall has announced the Government will increase the $3 prescription charge to $5 per item up to a maximum of 20 items from 1 January 2013. The savings will be reinvested in the health sector. More >>
Also:

Announcement - PM's Post Cabinet Press Conference Held In Hospital
Gordon Campbell - On the Rise in Prescription Charges
Labour - User Pays Plan Confirms Failure
Otago University - Public Health Expert Questions Prescription Charge Move
Labour - Minister of Illness Misses the Mark
NZ First - Don’t Increase Prescription Charges
Govt - Budget 2012: $101m for Surgery, Cancer Services
Govt -Budget 2012: Prescription Charges Help Fund Health
Medicines New Zealand - Additional Investment in Health Welcomed
Cancer Society - Good News for Cancer Patients!
Pharmacy Guild - Payment Increase Expected
NZMA - Extra funding for Surgery, Cancer Services Welcomed

Court of Appeal: Govt Should Pay Family Caregivers
The victory in the Court of Appeal for families caring for disabled family members should be taken notice of by the Government says Green MP Catherine DelahuntyMore >>

ALSO:

NZ First - About Time For Landmark Disability Decision
Labour - Government Should Drop Legal Action and Support Carers

Police: 120 Positions Axed In Fine Tuning
The New Zealand Police budget will not be cut this coming financial year but the organisation is planning some modest reductions in non-sworn support staff to live within its means, the Commissioner of Police, Peter Marshall, said. More >>

Also:

Police Association - Cutting Staff Doesn’t Make Work Go Away
Labour - Be Honest About Police Budget
Labour - No front line cuts – pull the other one
Green Party - Green Party comment on police staff cuts
NZ First - Frontline Policing To Suffer Under Latest Cuts

Water: Call For Quality Bottom Lines
The Land and Water Forum has called for national bottom lines to be set for the state of New Zealand’s rivers, lakes, streams, wetlands and aquifers. In a report issued today, the LWF, a group representing iwi and key freshwater stakeholders, ... More >>

Also

Ministers - Government welcomes new fresh water report
Forest And Bird - Forum report important step towards better water
Green Party - Supports For New Water Rules
BusinessDesk National fresh water regime takes another big step forward
Water New Zealand - Circuit breaker for improving freshwater management?
Fed Farmer - Farmers redefine agriculture’s land and water interface

MFaT: Cuts Scaled Back, Embassies Closed
Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully announced the closure of the Stockholm embassy in Sweden as part of $10 million of savings in the Ministry’s European posts.
The Stockholm post was opened by the Clark government in 2008 and downsized by the current government in 2009.More >>

Also

MFat - Final Decision on Change Programme
Unions - Scaled back MFAT restructure no cause for celebration
Labour - Botched MFAT cuts hurt NZ’s reputation
NZ First - MFAT Cuts Stupid In The Extreme

Budget 2012: Education – Larger Classes For More Money
I’m here today to talk about our education plan. Education is a subject that’s dear to my heart and head - and indeed yours, as future employers and business associates of the generation of young New Zealanders who are coming through our education system ... More >>

Significant flaws in EEZ bill – Environment Commissioner

NEW ZEALAND POLITICS > >

BUDGET 2012 - FULL COVERAGE: