Co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer has reintroduced a member’s bill, the Seabed Mining Prohibition Act, to ban seabed mining permanently — closing all legal pathways including fast-track approvals, and applying across the coastal marine area, the exclusive economic zone and the continental shelf. It is the second version, strengthened to account for fast-track legislation; the first was supported by the Greens and voted down by Labour.
The Seabed Mining Prohibition Act would close all legal pathways for seabed mining, fast-track approvals included, and apply across the coastal marine area, the exclusive economic zone and the continental shelf — so the ban is defined by where the seabed is rather than by which consenting regime applies.
Ngarewa-Packer has introduced seabed mining legislation before. That bill had Green Party support and was voted down by Labour. This version is described as strengthened to reflect changes in the law since, specifically the fast-track regime.
The case made is that the evidence is now settled because it survived a process designed to be permissive: even under fast-track legislation intended to push projects through, seabed mining was found to cause unacceptable harm to the environment, to taonga species and to tikanga Māori. The conclusion drawn is that these impacts cannot be conditioned away, and that where regulators themselves find the risk too great, Parliament should act.
Under a climate policy that commits to protecting whenua and moana from extractive industries, naming a seabed mining ban directly, alongside climate resilience investment for the communities most at risk and regenerative approaches aligned with Māori values. The framing offered is mana moana, kaitiakitanga and intergenerational responsibility.
“The Seabed Mining Prohibition Act closes all legal pathways for seabed mining, including fast-track approvals, and applies across the coastal marine area, the exclusive economic zone, and the continental shelf.”
“Even under fast-track legislation designed to push projects through, seabed mining has been found to cause unacceptable harm to the environment, to taonga species, and to tikanga Māori.”
“When regulators themselves conclude that the risks are too great and the uncertainty too high, Parliament has a responsibility to act.”
“Our oceans are not sacrifice zones and this is work I intend to see through.”
Points the document defers or leaves undefined. These are gaps in the document, not criticisms of the policy.
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