Will Key break promise and mine National Parks?

The Green Party is calling on John Key to stand by his Government’s promises to continue protecting National Parks and other areas of high conservation value from mining, ahead of a Cabinet decision expected Monday.

“After a full year of contradictions and misinformation, we’re still no clearer about John Key’s intentions for mining those areas set aside for protection,” Green Party Conservation Spokesperson Kevin Hague said today.

“Our livelihoods depend on our natural assets remaining in their natural condition; our fisheries, our 100% pure branding and our export industries, including tourism.”

In July last year, Minister Brownlee proposed to review the protections from mining provided by Schedule 4 of the Crown Minerals Act. In response to the Green Party’s questions in the House, the Minister stated emphatically ‘no one is talking about mining our national parks’ and ‘the Government has no intention of mining high-value conservation land’.

“There is still a risk that Brownlee will break his word, removing both a section of Paparoa National Park and some other high value conservation land in Coromandel in order to mine for low-value coal and gold,” Mr Hague said.

“Record numbers of New Zealanders - including many who voted for National in 2008 - have demonstrated that they love these places for their own inherent value, want to see them protected for future generations to enjoy and reject Gerry Brownlee's view of the environment as just a set of resources to exploit.

“The people have spoken out clearly on this issue; 42,000 through the submission process, tens-of-thousands on the streets, and over 47,000 Kiwis have signed the Greens' petition.

“John Key should listen. Our National Parks are just too precious to mine.

“So far, the Government has failed to make the case for removing protections or to justify any real economic value in destroying these precious places.

“Open cast mining for dirty, low-value coal will be bad for the local environment and has a direct impact on global warming, both of which will cost New Zealanders dearly.

I call on John Key to make good on his Government’s word and leave all of these wild spaces for future generations to enjoy,” Mr Hague said.