Law deadline shaky says Government

By IRENE CHAPPLE

The Government yesterday conceded that the chances of passing aquaculture legislation in time to meet the March 2004 deadline for lifting a moratorium on new marine farms have dropped dramatically.

Fisheries Minister Pete Hodgson admitted in a speech to aquaculture industry participants yesterday that there were problems.

Recollections of his comments varied.

Some at the meeting said Hodgson had put the chances of the legislation passing in time for the moratorium at 50-50.

But a spokesman for the minister's office in Wellington said the comments were that the likelihood was "better than 50 per cent".

The comments were made off the cuff during a prepared speech at the combined annual meetings in Nelson of the New Zealand Marine Farming Association and the New Zealand Mussel Industry Council.

They contrast with the minister's previous promises that the bill would be through in time.

However, the foreshore and seabed issue, which has raised its head over the past few weeks, has complicated its progress.

Hodgson referred in his speech to the issue, saying it was "inevitably" linked to aquaculture law reform.

"There is now an undeniable risk that the legislation required for the aquaculture reforms might not be introduced in August as planned," he said.

"I am not relaxed about that.

"On the contrary, I am doing my best to make sure we can still get the aquaculture legislation passed by the time the moratorium on new consents lifts next March."

Hodgson said that if the Government overshot the target and was unable to get the bill introduced in time, the moratorium would need to be extended.

That would be done through legislation, but any extension would be "measured in months, not years", he said.

Tom Hollings, of the Coromandel Marine Farmers Association, was at the meeting.

He said Hodgson's comments were met quietly.

Hollings said many in the industry respected Hodgson but "I am personally unimpressed".

Graeme Coates, executive officer of the Marine Farming Association, said the industry was prepared to wait if the Government sorted out the two issues concurrently.

The foreshore and seabed issue and the Aquaculture Reform Bill both deal with iwi claims over marine space.

The Aquaculture Reform Bill, which is already running 15 months behind time, is intended to grapple with a judgment from the Wai-tangi Tribunal that found that the Government did not take Maori interests into account in its draft legislation.

The most likely scenario appears to be the inclusion of an intervention clause which would allow the Government to give waterspace access to Maori.

However, the inclusion of such a clause may well affect foreshore and seabed negotiations.

Said Coates: "I just think it will be a great day when all this is clarified and we can move on."