Protection from mining Green Party Bill at 1st reading

A Green Party Bill which would better protect our most precious conservation areas from mining will today receive its first reading, the Green Party said.

"Schedule 4 areas such as national parks, wilderness areas and marine reserves are our most precious conservation areas. Any decision to allow them to be prospected or mined should be made by Parliament though an Act of Parliament, not Ministers acting alone," said Green Party Conservation spokesperson Eugenie Sage.

"At the moment, two Ministers can remove land from Schedule 4 to allow mining."

Ms Sage will speak at the first reading of the Crown Minerals (Protection of Public Conservation Land Listed in the Fourth Schedule) Amendment Bill. The Green Party Member's Bill would prevent the Ministers of Energy and Conservation from removing land from the protection of Schedule 4 by Order in Council. Instead, the Bill would require an Act of Parliament to remove any land from Schedule 4.

"Our most precious conservation areas need greater protection because this government has a clear, mine it, drill it, dig it agenda," said Ms Sage.

"In 2010, New Zealanders forced the Government to shelve its plans to mine Schedule 4 conservation areas. But the Government is testing the waters again by granting exploration permits for protected areas in Schedule 4."

One such permit has allowed Newmont Gold to survey for gold in protected areas of the Coromandel, including in areas of Schedule 4 conservation land, Ms Sage explained.

"The Green Party would build a clean, green economy instead of allowing largely-foreign owned mining companies to dig up our conservation lands for a quick buck as the Government intends.

"New Zealanders clearly love our conservation estate and marine reserves and want to protect these special places. This legislation will strengthen the protection from mining," said Ms Sage.