Greens and Govt launch second phase of Tui clean up

The Green Party and the Government today launched phase two of the $16.2 million clean-up of the Tui Mine site near Te Aroha.

"Tui Mine is one of New Zealand's most contaminated sites so it is good to see positive action being taken to finally clean it up," Green Party Toxics spokesperson Catherine Delahunty said.

Ms Delahunty acknowledged the sacred nature of the area to the local tangata whenua.

"Cleaning up the mine site is a vital issue for the Hauraki iwi who have waited for action since the mine site was abandoned in 1973.

The Tui Mine has an estimated 160,000 tonnes of tailings that need containment to avoid leaching into streams and to avoid the risk of a dam failure that would threaten the town of Te Aroha.

Stabilising the tailing dam as fast as possible and improving water quality from the mine shafts are central aspects of the project to ensure the safety and health of the town.

"The tailings dam is poised above the town and the effects of a weather bomb or earthquake has been a big concern to the community," said Ms Delahunty.

Environment Waikato and the Matamata-Piako District Council are also contributing to the clean-up fund. The site was previously mined for copper, lead, and zinc from 1966-1973.

"The Green Party is glad to work with the Minister for the Environment under our Memorandum of Understanding with the National Government to start this clean-up " Ms Delahunty said.

"It shows that even though we're outside of Government we can work on important policy issues. There are many toxic sites which need attention and Tui Mine has been at the top of that list."

The Leaders of the National Party and Green Party agreed to include toxic site management work in their Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which also includes home insulation, the New Zealand Cycleway, natural health products, and a pilot scheme to better protect forests and wildlife from pests.

NOTE: The launch is today 11.00 AM-1.00 PM at Tui Pā, Tui Road, Te Aroha, Waikato