Coromandel Watchdog Delighted with Announcement of No New Mines on Conservation Land

Coromandel Watchdog of Hauraki, the organisation which has fought mining in the Hauraki/ Coromandel region for 38 years is delighted with the Ministers announcement that there will be no new mines on conservation land.

"This is wonderful news for the whole country, and especially our region" Says Augusta Macassey-Pickard, spokesperson for the organisation. "The mining industry now know that they will not be allowed to open new mines in our conservation estate and the community now has certainty conservation land will be for conservation."

"It is time for companies like New Talisman, who are trying to start a mine at Karangahake, and Oceana Gold, who are drilling on DOC land at Parakiwai, to pack up and leave. Oceana should also stop taking out exploration licences in the northern Coromandel where DOC land is now fully protected."

"We have worked for this day for so long. We look forward to supporting the extension of Schedule 4 protection and we are hoping to see a move to further strengthen other legal mechanisms, which will protect all conservation land from gold or coal mining."

"It is fantastic to have a Conservation Minister who recognises the actual purpose of conservation land and we are very pleased that she has shown immediate leadership on this issue."

Coromandel Watchdog will continue to work to protect all categories of land in the region and are celebrating this huge step forward in the goal of no mining in the region.

ENDS

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