Moves to strengthen protection of offshore activity
Hon Simon Bridges
Minister of Energy and Resources
31 March 2013
Media Statement
Moves to strengthen protection of offshore petroleum and minerals activity
The Government
is proposing stronger measures to protect offshore petroleum
and minerals activity from unlawful interference, Energy and
Resources Minister Simon Bridges said
today.
Cabinet has approved further changes to the
Crown Minerals (Permitting and Crown Land) Bill to firm up
protection of lawful offshore petroleum and minerals
activity and to give new enforcement powers to police and
defence force personnel.
The provisions are in a
Supplementary Order Paper (SOP) to be tabled in Parliament.
“There have been attempts to seriously disrupt
lawful mining and related activities in recent times.
These types of actions can impose significant costs on
companies carrying out legitimate activities under permits,
and present very serious health and safety risks,” says Mr
Bridges.
“The changes address a gap in the
current legislation. They provide an effective deterrent,
and readily workable operational powers, to act against
unlawful interference with legitimate exploration and
production activities.”
Two new offences are
proposed:
(1) intentional damage to and interference
with mining structures and vessels, and interference with
their activities being carried out under a Crown Minerals
Act permit; carrying with it a penalty of imprisonment of up
to 12 months or a fine not exceeding $50,000, or in the case
of a body corporate, a fine not exceeding $100,000;
(2)
strict liability for contravention of a notified minimum
non-interference distance (up to 500m); carrying with it a
penalty of a fine of up to $10,000.
Additional
measures are proposed for police or defence force personnel
in command of a New Zealand Defence Force vessel to be
deemed enforcement officers, with powers to board, arrest
and detain.
Mr Bridges says the changes in the
SOP add to the Crown Minerals (Permitting and Crown Land)
Bill proposals for the allocation and management of
petroleum and minerals permits.
“Refreshing the
Crown Minerals Act gives New Zealanders greater confidence
in how the Government is allocating rights to Crown-owned
minerals, and how it is managing and regulating those
rights.
“This also means protecting the rights of
the industry to operate safely and effectively,” Mr
Bridges
says.
ENDS