Oil spill compensation polluters liable to pay more than triples under Bill

December 13, 2017

Lawyers say the Environment Court got it wrong and are worried about wider implications.

The amount of compensation that can be claimed from those responsible for oil spills has increased from $411 million to $1.5 billion under legislation passed by parliament.

The Maritime Transport Amendment Bill passed its third reading unanimously last night.

"The bill will ensure that in the event of an oil spill from a tanker there is significantly more compensation made available to deal with any clean up," Associate Transport Minister Julie Anne Genter said.

"This is about ensuring that those responsible for oil spills cover the cost, not the New Zealand taxpayer."

SHARE ME

More Stories