Wellington, May 14 NZPA - Environment Minister Nick Smith was all wrapped up in a rap and dance show at Parliament today.

The performance, on behalf of the Get Real organisation, was aimed at highlighting the issue of excessive packaging.

Dr Smith described the show as "fantastic" and said regulation, pricing and education were all needed to reduce waste.

There was a fine line between "petty regulation" and the reduction of packaging waste, he said.

The Waste Minimisation Act, to be implemented on July 1, had created "some excitement," he said.

"We are determined to implement it and to ensure that we do so in a way that makes a real difference to the New Zealand environment."

The Government would not be renewing the packaging accord when it expires this year because it was "not a particularly useful instrument" and the new Act had the potential to "beef up agreements with industry around reducing packaging", Dr Smith said.

Green MP Metiria Turei told NZPA the Act was a start but "more could be done".

"We'll see that in the submissions.

"As long as Government listens as hard to the community as they do to industry then I think we'll get a good outcome."

In addition to the performance, Get Real presented Dr Smith with an open letter signed by more than 1000 people.

Campaigner Sue Coutts said packaging was a "perfect example of a waste problem that would be solved by effective product stewardship".

"There is packaging out there that's well-designed, minimal and resource efficient.

"We want to see all packaging meeting those same high-standards."

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