Hunt for minerals underway in Schedule Four land

Information obtained by the Green Party has revealed 21 current mineral permits for prospecting and exploration in 42 areas protected from mining by Schedule Four of the Crown Minerals Act.

More than half (eleven) of the permits have been issued since the election of the National-led Government; the other ten date back as far as 2006 and were granted by the previous Labour-led Government.

“I am dismayed to learn the extent of mineral search activity already going on in our most treasured places and the upsurge in activity under this Government,” said Green Party Co-leader Metiria Turei.

While mining is currently prohibited on Schedule Four public conservation land, these permits were granted under exceptions that allow for exploration and prospecting activity if it is of “minimum impact” and results in the stripping of less than 16 square metres of bush.

“The areas covered by these permits indicate which areas are being considered in the Government’s stock-take for removal from Schedule 4 to allow mining,” Mrs Turei said.

Current permits listed include parks and reserves in Northland, Waikato, Taranaki, Nelson, the West Coast and Otago. A list of terminated permits also shows that Mount Aspiring, Abel Tasman and Westland/Tai Poutini National Parks, and two internationally-recognised wetlands at Waituna and the Firth of Thames, have been recently prospected.

“Information we released last month put three National Parks – Kahurangi, Fiordland and Paparoa – and the Coromandel in the gun,” said Mrs Turei. “But these recent permits to search for minerals now show that a much larger number of Schedule 4 protected areas are also likely to be threatened by the stock-take.”

In August this year, a permit was granted to prospect in Northland’s Waipoua Forest Sanctuary Area. Yet the Conservation Minister Tim Groser proposed this area for a ‘Kauri National Park’ just this week.

“This Government’s approach to conservation is incoherent,” Mrs Turei said. “On the one hand, Mr Groser announces moves to create a new National Park in the area where New Zealand’s largest living Kauri tree – Tane Mahuta – grows. On the other hand, he refuses to rule out mining in National Parks, and his Government has just given a prospecting permit for the very area he wants to turn into a National Park!”

The Green Party also released an appendix to the Ministerial advice released two weeks ago that was originally withheld by the Government. It shows the list of conservation places, including new Marine Reserves and recent additions to National Parks, that DOC sought last year to add to Schedule 4. Mrs Turei said, “The Government should add these to Schedule 4 because they are our top quality conservation sites.”

“Widespread prospecting in so many of our most protected sites, including an area proposed as a new National Park by this Government, will only serve to reinforce public opposition to moves to put mining interests ahead of our national heritage. The Green Party will continue to oppose mining in our precious places every step of the way,” Mrs Turei said.

Attachments and references:
List of current and past prospecting and exploration permits in Schedule 4 areas:
http://www.greens.org.nz/sites/default/files/15029(2009)QuestionForWrittenAnswer.pdf
Appendix 2, an addition to the Ministerial advice released earlier: http://www.greens.org.nz/sites/default/files/OIAMinistersAdviceMining29Sept2009Appendix2.pdf

The full Ministerial advice released earlier: http://www.greens.org.nz/press-releases/greens-reveal-govt-wants-mine-fiordland