Coromandel Watchdog of Hauraki says the Government announcement on replacing the Resource Management Act (RMA) and undermining Councils oversight of the environment is a commitment to vandalism.

"The whole announcement is a disaster, but the mining example takes the cake. They say that wetlands will be open to mining and quarrying even though 90% of wetlands have already been destroyed by destructive land management,” says Watchdog Chairperson Catherine Delahunty.

"Its so extraordinarily reckless and out of touch, they are drunk with power and immune to reason. So much hard work on farms, coasts and public land has gone into protecting the 10% of wetlands left because of their key role they play in water quality improvement by filtering out pollutants, reducing flood risks and providing vital habitats for fish breeding and homes for many other diverse plants and animals. Wetlands sequester carbon which would be reason enough not to mine them. Our country signed onto the RAMSAR intergovernmental treaty, a Convention committing us to the wise use of wetlands and we have to report on how we are protecting them, especially those of international significance. Is the Government abandoning that commitment?"

“I do not know what is driving this new attack on the environment, greed seems obvious, but surely the Government can see the economic value in wetlands. It is not the 1950s and we know that we need to protect every wetland left in the country as well as needing to create more. Mining will neither create permanent jobs nor pay for public services. It is a tiny part of the economy, mostly gold and coal and the gold will go offshore while leaving toxic waste behind. Coal is a greenhouse gas we must leave in the ground. It seems the plan is to shut out Te Tiriti, iwi and public participation in decisions and then set rules that facilitate vandalism towards fresh water and other habitat like wetlands, it is beyond stupid.”

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