Ministerial Statements — New Zealand Defence Force—Sinking of HMNZS Manawanui

I rise to make a ministerial statement regarding the all-of-Government response to HMNZS Manawanui’s sinking off the coast of Samoa on Saturday, 5 October. I’d also like to acknowledge the brave ship’s company and passengers, who evacuated overnight in extreme conditions, and Commander Yvonne Gray, who made the right decision to evacuate the ship. We should be incredibly proud of all of our New Zealand Defence Force personnel, who are all highly skilled and serve New Zealand without hesitation.

With the passengers and crew safe, the Government’s focus shifted to mitigating any environmental impacts. I assure this House, the people of New Zealand, and those of Samoa that we will do everything that we can. The New Zealand Defence Force is leading the all-of-Government response to this incident, named Operation Resolution, which includes support from Maritime New Zealand, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Ministry of Defence, and wildlife experts from Massey University. Operation Resolution involves working with Samoan authorities to understand the implications of this incident and to evaluate salvage options. Personnel have been clearing flotsam from the beach area, and navy divers are regularly assessing the ship’s position and the status of oil tanks onboard.

I’d like to express our deepest thanks to the Samoan Government for their support and patience as we assess the impact of this incident on their exclusive economic zone, or EEZ, and to the Samoan personnel who rescued the ship’s crew and passengers on that fateful Saturday night. We are also grateful for the support provided by HMS Tamar of the Royal Navy, and other partners. The defence force is investigating options to mitigate the capability loss as a result of the HMNZS Manawanui’s sinking. The navy still has diving and survey capabilities that operate independently of Manawanui and are, therefore, still available and deployable. Further considerations, including as part of the upcoming Defence Capability Plan, will provide options for broader and longer-term solutions.

On Thursday, 10 October, Chief of Navy Rear Admiral Garin Golding announced the details of the New Zealand Defence Force court of inquiry into the matter. This inquiry will collect and record evidence and report on the sequence of events leading up to the loss of the ship, the cause of the grounding, the subsequent sinking, and details on notification procedures, along with injuries sustained and, of course, any environmental damage. We do know that there will be many questions, but the appropriate process does need to play out through the court of inquiry, which is being conducted strictly in accordance with the Armed Forces Discipline Act. The Government recognises the high level of public interest in the matter and will continue to keep the New Zealand public informed as new information comes to light, subject to privacy, national security, and commercial sensitivity concerns.

It is important that we do not rush to speculate on what happened and also to allow the court of inquiry process to play out. While we do not yet know what caused this terrible incident, I do wish to echo the sentiments of the Minister of Defence, the Hon Judith Collins, that we do know that the ship’s captain’s gender had no role to play in the incident. Our personnel are highly skilled, and it is a testament to their courage, comradeship, and commitment that the evacuation of HMNZS Manawanui was carried out safely—that is, with no loss of life. The Government will continue to do everything that we can to continue to mitigate the impact of this incident on Samoa and the wider Pacific.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. On behalf of the Labour Party, I acknowledge the tragic event of the sinking of the HMNZS Manawanui. We were all relieved to hear that the crew and passengers are all safe, and we too wish to thank first responders and the people of Samoa for the support and care given to our people during this difficult time. On behalf of Labour, we apologise to Samoa—in particular, the community of Upolu and the large Samoan community here in Aotearoa New Zealand. We know this is an important matter to you all.

I want to acknowledge my Pacific caucus colleagues who continue to communicate, engage, and work with our community from Samoa here in Aotearoa, and also in Samoa. We know too that words can mean so little at this time. Instead, we are measured by our actions.

In my time as a former defence Minister, I reflect upon the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha‘apai eruption of 2022, where a swift response was what the people needed and what the people expected. Therefore, the expectations from the people of Samoa will no doubt be high, and rightly so. So too will be the interest of taxpayers and the large Samoan community here in New Zealand. They will expect people to take responsibility, operate with transparency, and remain accountable.

That leads me to my series of questions for the Associate Minister of Defence. Does the Minister agree with recent reports that have described the Minister’s attitude towards feedback from Samoan locals as “dismissive” and that the relationship between New Zealand and Samoa as being not on good terms at the moment; if not, why not?

Teanau Tuiono: Mr Speaker.

Teanau Tuiono.

Rt Hon Chris Hipkins: Well, no—he’s asked a question.

SPEAKER: Hang on a minute—just a minute. Does the Minister want to respond to that?

Yeah, thank you, Mr Speaker. I was unsure whether you wanted me to reply to any further questions in and around it later, but I’m certainly happy to take this opportunity to of course say that there is nothing dismissive about the reaction of the Minister of Defence or, indeed, the Government as a whole. I’ve outlined clearly the number of different New Zealand Government agencies that have been actively involved in working to mitigate any environmental damage. We have, rightly, acknowledged those people in this House today, and, of course, those in Samoa who assisted so bravely and helpfully on that fateful occasion.

The New Zealand Government, from the Prime Minister and the Minister of Defence down, have acknowledged and been in touch with our relevant counterparts. We do take this situation seriously. There’s nothing dismissive whatsoever about the response of the New Zealand Government in this matter.

Thank you Mr Speaker. Will the all-of-Government response include a commitment to send a senior Minister to assess the damage on the ground and to speak and engage with locals, community, and the Government face to face?

Mr Speaker, the Government has made tolerably clear, including as recently as in my own statement of a couple of minutes ago, that we will do everything that we think will be necessary and helpful in the matter. In terms of visits by senior Government Ministers, that is a matter to be determined in due course, but I do note for now that the immediate priority of the Government, and no doubt of the people of Samoa as well, is, of course, to mitigate any environmental impact that may be being felt. Of course, to assess the ongoing possibility of that, to prepare for and conduct salvage operations, of course in conjunction with relevant partners, and then any further actions will be determined in due course.

To the Minister: given the hard fiscal times, as described by this Government that New Zealand are facing at the moment, what contingencies, if any, is the Government considering for remuneration to the people of Samoa and what is the total financial cost currently sitting at?

It would be premature for me to speculate on what cost may accrue as a result of the incident in question, and therefore it would be premature to answer the question that is purely hypothetical at this stage in terms of a quantum of such compensation or other redress of any other kind.

Following the loss of the HMNZS Manawanui, is the Minister confident in the New Zealand Defence Force’s capability to respond to any further incidents, considering the cyclone season is upon us and the people of the Pacific?

It’s regrettable, of course, to have lost a ship of our navy. Goodness knows it is not a large navy relative to the needs of our maritime nation and, indeed, the Indo-Pacific region in which we live and operate and trade. We will, obviously, work closely with the New Zealand Defence Force and the Ministry of Defence and, of course, other relevant Government agencies to ensure that our presence in the South Pacific is meaningful and contributes well to the peace and prosperity of the region. Of course it’s not ideal to have lost one of our naval vessels. But I do know—including in relation to the upcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting; but also business as usual events such as ensuring protection against transnational crime, fisheries protection, environmental protection more generally, and, of course, the diplomatic relations that are enhanced by the presence of our defence force in the region—that the New Zealand Defence Force will continue to do everything it can to play a constructive role in that region.

Can I thank the Minister for the swift appointment of the court of inquiry and the strong personnel appointed to that court of inquiry. It is to be led by military personnel. The question to the Minister is: given the large public interest in the matter and the taxpayer accountability with respect to this tragedy, is this the best mechanism for an independent and impartial investigation, or is it akin to the navy investigating itself?

I think that it is an appropriate mechanism. There is a measure of independence in the appointment of a senior officer of the Royal Australian Navy of great repute and experience and qualification, but the question from my honourable friend across the House, with respect, misses the point in relation to the court of inquiry. It is a process that must be conducted in accordance with the Armed Forces Discipline Act. That doesn’t preclude any other forms of inquiry that may be appropriate to take place after. But that is a forum for investigating the truth of the matter of what happened on that evening and that early morning and, of course, subsequent impacts that may flow from that. Of course, with the completion of the court of inquiry in due course, the findings will be made public to the greatest extent possible, and from there any subsequent actions that may be appropriate for the purpose of accountability and otherwise assuring the New Zealand public and that of Samoa will be conducted as appropriate at that time.

Given the Minister’s answer, can the Minister assure this House that he is satisfied that the economic, the environmental impact on Samoa, and the impact on New Zealand’s international reputation will be covered by the court of inquiry? And given the Minister’s response to my previous question, will this Government consider another inquiry running parallel that is far more public, transparent, and accountable?

I don’t think it would be helpful for me to speculate on the possibility of parallel or additional inquiries until such time as we have a clearer idea of what has happened in the first instance and what continues to be possible in relation to possible environmental impacts. That’s not a commitment I would make at this stage or be in a position to be able to make at this point.

To the Minister: there have been mixed reports regarding the impact on the environment, from social media reports to standard media reports out of Samoa. With respect to the environment, can the Minister confirm how much oil has leaked? What engagement with locals has the Government or defence conducted to confirm the damage caused to the beach, to fishing, and to the livelihood of locals in Samoa?

In my statement, I outlined the considerable efforts that have been made by the New Zealand Government, including, significantly, along with partners of Samoa, including Government agencies but also environmental experts of both of those respective nations to quantify the extent of any environmental damage, including the quantum of any oil of any type that may have flowed from the HMNZS Manawanui in terms of where she currently sits. It’s difficult to reconcile the differing accounts in this fast-moving situation, but we are endeavouring in good faith to understand the situation as accurately as we can, including to the extent that that may change with meteorological and other conditions over a period of time until such time as the salvage is able to take place.

To the Minister: given the Minister’s comments about the all-of-Government response and the fact that this country isn’t new to tragic events, both at home and abroad—and a goodwill gesture of a financial compensation amount or figure can be offered sooner rather than later—can the Minister be sure that the all-of-Government response will give the people of New Zealand and Samoa confidence that the response will be adequate, substantial, and enduring?

I reiterate the commitment—

Hon Shane Jones: Point of order, Mr Speaker. Sir, can I direct your attention to Standing Order 365, where it is permissible to elucidate information, but straying to areas to do with compensation at time when an inquiry has not been completed—and we should be very respectful as members of the House as to what that inquiry might turn up pertaining to matters such as finance—in my view is well beyond what elucidate means.

Hon Kieran McAnulty: Speaking to the point of order—thank you very much. That Standing Order allows for comments and questions to be made subsequent to the statement. It doesn’t prevent questions being asked. It’s entirely within the Minister’s ability to indicate if there are any concerns around the public interest, and that can be reflected in the response, but certainly no question that’s been asked falls afoul of the Standing Orders.

Hon Shane Jones: Speaking to the point of order.

SPEAKER: Well, just a final comment.

Hon Shane Jones: Sir, the content of my colleague’s statement to the House in no way strayed into areas of financial compensation—that’s not what this question purpose is designed for. It’s well beyond reasonable elucidation.

SPEAKER: That’s true, but it is a matter of public interest. The Standing Order, when it went through the Standing Orders Committee during the latter end of the Parliament prior to the last one, did make the point that there will be matters that may not be covered by the Minister that would be in the public interest. Now, the only judge of that will be the person who’s asking the question. The public will make their own determination about whether it was of any great interest to them, but so far we haven’t seen a transgression of the intent of the Standing Orders.

Hon CHRIS PENK: To the extent that I’m able to answer the question, I would note that the point effectively made underlying the point of order by my colleague Mr Jones is the right one, which is that it would be premature and therefore unhelpful for me to muse on even the possibility of any such compensation or other redress until such time as the court of inquiry and any other relevant inquiries have taken place such that we can understand and, if necessary, quantify the extent of any such damage.

I rise on behalf of the Greens to respond to the ministerial statement on the events of the HMNZS Manawanui sinking off the coast of Samoa on Saturday, 5 October. I would also like to acknowledge the bravery and the commitment of first responders in Samoa and also of the crew and personnel ensuring that their lives were safely taken to shore as well. I know that will be a relief for them and their families. Making sure that that is at the heart of the things that we do is so, so important.

I also want to support the comments of my whanaunga, the Hon Peeni Henare, in apologising to Samoa but also underscoring the importance of that relationship with Samoa. We have a Treaty of Friendship with Samoa. Our Samoan communities are part of the important social fabric of Aotearoa New Zealand. Any inquiry, particularly this court of inquiry, must put the importance of that relationship at its heart. I hope, with whatever the process looks like—like my whanaunga, the Hon Peeni Henare—that those concerns are actually factored in. We don’t want to end up playing the blame game. We need to have all the facts, and being absolutely clear is important to that.

Running alongside of that, I would like to get some clarity around the immediate response. Many members around the House may be getting calls from different communities. I know that’s been true for myself, where people are trying to ask us questions that I don’t have answers for. The immediate response should be including what is actually being put in place; what are the time frames that have been put in place; will there be communications made to communities not only in Samoa but also here in Aotearoa—acknowledging that we have a very, very strong Samoan community here, so making sure that there are communications there, I think, is incredibly, incredibly important.

I’m not an engineer, but 950 tonnes of diesel trapped at the bottom of the ocean is not going to stay down there. What are the plans and the time frames in terms of that clean-up response as well? I think it would be important for the Government to answer, to the extent that it is able, to what the plan is there specifically. I think that is incredibly, incredibly important and would, I think, alleviate some of the anxiety and stress that the community is feeling at this particular time as well.

The other thing—and I would like to get a response to it from the Minister—is around some of the kōrero that we’re hearing from the people on the coast where the sinking happened as well, acknowledging that this could be the same for people in many Pacific Island communities, certainly for coastal communities here within Aotearoa New Zealand: what is going to be done to make sure that their food basket is taken care of? What is going to be done to make sure that those villagers are actually able to feed and support their villages from a response from Aotearoa New Zealand? Thank you, Mr Speaker.

I acknowledge, in the first instance, the anxiety that the member has rightly pointed out that members of the Samoan community in New Zealand, as well as, of course, in Samoa itself, will be feeling, and I think that is a very fair point that he emphasises. Again, I reiterate, on behalf of the Government, that we understand and acknowledge those concerns. We are doing everything that we can to understand the extent of any possible environmental impact and are doing everything that we can, including to arrange salvage.

To the member’s point around the fuel not being able to remain in place in 35 metres or some other depth of water, of course that is correct and that is precisely why we are moving at pace to arrange a salvage of the vessel. Of course, I cannot commit to a particular time frame for that, except to make the obvious point that it will take place as soon as it safely is able to do so.

Mr Speaker, I just wanted a bit more clarity around that communications piece. Our communities in the Pacific are incredibly connected—with our relatives back in the home islands, with us here in Aotearoa New Zealand. Can there be a commitment from the Government to use Pacific Media Network, for example, Radio Samoa, Tagata Pasifika to actually get those clear communications to the Samoan community here within Aotearoa New Zealand? Of course, many of those that are broadcasted from here originally in Aotearoa also go out to the islands. Can we have that kind of commitment?

I’ve already committed, on behalf of the Government, that we will be transparent in the findings of the court of inquiry and including in updates in the meantime, as we’re able to. I regard the member’s suggestions of particular avenues for remaining in touch with those who would consume their media information updates through those particular channels has been a helpful one.

Just finally, that question around food security—we have people that are living on the coast. This is what we call a pātaka kai—it is a food basket. Will there be a factoring in, in any of the discussions that the Government’s having, of some commitment to make sure that those communities on the coast have food security?

It’s impossible to be specific about what such a commitment might entail, but, at the risk of stating the obvious, or, rather, restating it now a number of times in this House, we are moving quickly as a Government and, as part of an-all-of-Government approach, again, working with our partners and our friends in Samoa—Government counterparts, but also, again, civil society—to understand, mitigate, reduce, and ultimately remove any such threat to the economic and social wellbeing of the people of Samoa.

Just back on that point around the diesel. We’ve got an incredible amount of diesel. Is there a guarantee or a commitment from the Government that that diesel will be removed? Possibly, that might be a question the Minister might not be able to answer today. If not, are there some time frames in place where that information can be updated for people here in Aotearoa New Zealand, but also over in Samoa?

The intention is to salvage, and the intended time frame is as soon as possible and as soon as that can safely be achieved. I’m, unfortunately, not able to be more specific than that at this time.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I rise on behalf of ACT in support of the ministerial statement to address the sinking of the HMNZS Manawanui off the coast of Samoa. Today, I think we should stand united in the face of tragedy that has struck not just our naval forces but the peaceful and pristine waters of our Pacific neighbour. The sinking of the Manawanui off the coast of Samoa is a huge loss. We commend those in Samoa who are currently working with the New Zealand Defence Force and local authorities to assess the impacts that this terrible event has had.

The Manawanui was a modern, capable platform, a vessel of specialist outfit designed to carry out missions, including hydrographic surveys, coastal and harbour surveys, also limited mining decommissioning and operations. The ship had a displacement of 5,741 tonnes, carrying a permanent crew of 39 but could bunk 66. She entered service in the Royal New Zealand Navy in 2019.

I want to stress one point: how incredibly proud I think we should all be of the men and women of the New Zealand Navy. These people who wear our national colours, our flag on their shoulders are part of the New Zealand Defence Force. They’re our people. We should be very proud as New Zealanders, for those people serve our nation and our interests and they put themselves in harm’s way every day. We have to commend them for their willingness to do that, their lack of hesitation, and when it comes to the protection of our nation, our nation’s wellbeing is at their heart.

The sinking of the Manawanui has been a shock to all of us; a terrible disappointment; a sadness for her crew, the wider New Zealand Navy, and the New Zealand populous at large. I think it’s important that we all acknowledge the brave crew and the commander of the HMNZS Manawanui, Yvonne Gray, whose quick and concise decision-making, thoughts, and processes saved lives of all aboard prior to the eventual demise of the ship.

It has been noted by the Associate Minister of Defence today that the Defence Force is leading an all-of-Government response to the incident so that we know what actually happened and we don’t just rush to judgment in this process; we actually go through what the process looks like in its entirety. Operation Resolution will include Maritime New Zealand, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Defence, and, most importantly in this instance, wildlife experts. The operation will include working with the Samoan authorities, tantamount to a good outcome.

The environmental implications are vast, the potential salvation options are limited, and yet they have to be undertaken and assessed and understood. As has been noted, personnel assessing diesel and oil leakages from the ship, with regular diving expeditions, are being undertaken to alleviate this concern. This is a core part of their work.

Finally, in conjunction with the ministerial statement offered by the Associate Minister for Defence, I want to acknowledge the Samoan Government and the role of her people and the assistance that they offered in this terrible turn of events. I’ll make one final point. We as New Zealand should be proud of how these people reacted, how the Samoan people reacted and worked with us, and, ultimately, I maintain, they were instrumental in saving all those people on board and bringing our people home. Thank you, Mr Speaker.

Kia ora, Mr Speaker. First of all, Te Pāti Māori would like to express a huge apology to Samoa for what it is enduring from this incident. We too share the sentiments that we’re glad that everyone is safe, but we have more questions about the “What now?” We acknowledge the heart breaking that is happening in Samoa, and we acknowledge that in our w’akapapa and our connection as Māui, those who are one people, one ocean.

My questions to the Associate Minister of Defence: does the Government know how much has been spent on rescuing and resourcing from the Samoan end, and what has been put into the clean-up? Again, the question is: who will be covering their costs? My other question—and I’ve got a few, so the Minister may want to take the opportunity to answer if he can—does the Government know how many w’ānau and fishermen are affected by the loss of income, livelihood, and who is currently covering their loss of livelihood? Does the Government know, if locals are not allowed to eat their fish, what is the alternative source of protein, and who is covering the cost of an alternative source of kai?

My other question is: this is no doubt an environmental disaster for the Samoan community; who will be monitoring the marine damage? When will the Government know the full extent of the environmental impact? What action so far has been followed? Is there currently a contingency plan or policy that has been followed in lieu of these types of events, and can the Government tell us and assure us, if there are these types of disasters in our oceans, in Samoan oceans or other oceans, what is the contingency plan for clean-up? What is the amount of budget put aside for that? Are we equipped as a nation to be covering up the degree of activity that has been proposed in the oceans from our naval forces and anyone else? Does the Minister know the full impact on the social wellbeing of the community, and, if it does, what is being done currently to ease the wellbeing, the mental stress, and lack of certainty of the future of a community that is very reliant on its marine life, on its fishing sector? Will there be an independent inquiry—specifically, an independent international inquiry—and, if not, why not?

I guess the other question that we have, in reflection, is that the communication that we’ve had as a party is that we took too long. I don’t know how long is long or short, or how we actually are meant to react in these situations, because I’m not quite sure what blueprint or template’s being followed right now, but if the locals believe we took too long, what is the Minister’s understanding of, if we did, why we did and what we can learn from this in the future?

A large number of questions and I’m grateful to the member for raising them. To the extent that many are hypothetical in nature, I’m unable to answer those today. I suppose, to make the obvious point around the time frames and even the quantum of any damage, at the moment we’ve been relatively lucky—and I emphasise “relatively”—in terms of some of the environmental conditions and the fate of the fuel that is currently, by and large, remaining within the vessel, HMNZS Manawanui. It’s difficult to know, of course, what the future may bring, in the immediate future, medium term, or long term for that matter, but by making every effort to mitigate any damage should it become apparent, and, of course, to remove the source of any possible further cause for concern, being the vessel itself and, of course, more particularly, the oil stored within her, that is everything that the New Zealand Government can do and is doing responsibly in this space at the moment.

The member is right to allude to the fact that there will inevitably be lessons that can be learnt. The navy, the defence force, the Government of New Zealand as a whole are committed to learning those lessons, and, again, at the risk of stating the obvious, the point of learning those lessons should be to reduce the possibility that such an incident may occur again in the future.

I’m grateful to all the members who have spoken in this House expressing their concern, their interest in the matter. I’m grateful for the questions and the comments that they’ve made. Please know that, as I made clear in the statement itself, we will continue to keep all informed, both within New Zealand and Samoa, including through any appropriate channels that are available at that end. In the meantime, on behalf of the Government and perhaps, I may venture, on behalf of the House, we would wish all the very best to those who are working so hard to deal with a difficult situation. We are doing, and we will do, everything within our power to make it right.

Thank you. Can I ask the Government, the Minister: currently, what aid is being provided for the various communities? What Government capacity is currently based in Samoa specifically appointed to assist through this heartbreaking event? Specifically, I want to pick up on what the Green Party, Te Pāti Kākāriki, has said, which is: what is the communication plan going forward? How is the Government committing to not only look after the relationships in a diplomatic sense with Samoa—who I can only imagine are extremely upset and broken with what they’re having to deal with—but what communication plan at a grassroots level for those communities that are having to completely see their day-to-day lives destroyed is the Government committing to? What will that look like in a sense that we have digital equity issues, in a sense that we need to be kanohi kitea—seen on the ground? Most particularly, what is the current state of the relationships, and, again, aside from diplomacy and diplomatic relationships, what are the ground-to-ground relationships looking like from the Government’s perspective?

It seems to me that the relationship between the people of New Zealand and Samoa is strong as ever. Obviously, we are doing everything in our power, both in a diplomatic sense but also in a people-to-people sense, to strengthen that further and to work closely with the people of that land to ensure that any possible damage as a result of this incident be mitigated and then, ultimately, reduced.

In relation to her question around communications, I simply refer the member to my answer to her Green Party colleague. In relation to Government agencies involved in this work, I refer the member to the comments I made in the statement itself along those lines.