Coromandel Watchdog of Hauraki say the amendments to the Wildlife Act this week and Shane Jones comments that Oceana Gold mining issue is just about vibration affecting "mating frogs” are frivolous, wrong, and uninformed.

“The labelling of at-risk species like kiwi, some frogs, native bats and more as "threats to development“ could be a world first in terms of the deliberate promotion of extinction. The changes to the Wildlife Act this week, which were motivated to limit the courts from ruling in favour of protecting at risk species , are a bizarre leap backwards into deliberate disregard for the environment.

“Shane Jones is also wrong that our opposition to the Wharekirauponga gold mine project in the forest behind Whangamata is only about risks to Archeys frogs. We have consistently stated that creating more mountains of toxic waste from this proposed gold mine, dewatering the forest and risking acid mine leachate affecting underground water, are all reasons why we oppose this mine. Blasting under the habitat of the 200 million year old at risk frog is also a terrible idea. Thanks to the Fast Track law we have no right to participate in hearings so that these issues can be publicly scrutinised. Now the changes to the Wildlife Act presumably mean that even the expert panels cannot give due weight to protecting wildlife,“ said Catherine Delahunty Chairperson of Watchdog.

Oceana Gold’s Waihi North Project application to the Fast Track process was accepted this week and includes a new open pit in Waihi plus more underground mining there as well as the large underground mine at Wharekirauponga forests.

“When the Government becomes the enemy of at risk species so that multinationals companies can dig up gold for their profit, we all lose the hard work over many years to value and protect what is unique in these lands. It is a reputational risk but also an attack on our values and relationships with the rest of natural world. Shame on this Government."

Watchdog and other groups will continue to oppose gold mining given the fact that gold is plentiful above ground and easily reusable. The real resources of infinite value are clean water and the treasured species that are now being called “a threat”.

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