'Minister for Looking' beggars belief

Conservation Minister, Kate Wilkinson, stunned members of the Local Government and Environment Select Committee this morning by feigning ignorance in response to concerns about mineral wealth investigations in World Heritage sites on the West Coast.

Labour’s Conservation spokesperson Ruth Dyson raised concerns yesterday about the Government’s planned exploration, which will inevitably lead to excavation.

“The Minster slid around questions on this issue by saying that any mineral exploration would be the responsibility of the Minister for Energy and that she was responsible only for the ‘looking’ part of the activity.

“The Minister needs to take a look at her job description. She has clear responsibility for protecting the conservation estate and avoiding such basic questions is disingenuous,” Ruth Dyson said.

“John Key’s assurances -- that survey work is being undertaken for geological purposes and to understand fault lines -- is convenient, but not convincing.

“What we saw from the Minister this morning in Select Committee was simply parroting of Cabinet-approved spin.

“There is only one reason for mineral wealth investigations and that is in order to pursue future mining activity.

“The Minister also refused to consider that areas like Te Wahipounamu on the West Coast may need special legislative protection, such as that given to Schedule 4 land.

“The Conservation estate is in jeopardy under a National-led government,  with a Minster who is unable to provide the leadership the sector needs and wants to see,” Ruth Dyson said.