Cabinet Minister Says Mining Housing Fix An Example To Rest Of NZ

Tuesday, 16 September 2025, 4:58 pm
Article: Lois Williams - Local Democracy Reporter

The West Coast’s can-do attitude to a housing shortage is a shining example for the other regions, Shane Jones says.

The Regional Development Minister was in Reefton on Friday to officially open cabins to house staff at the Snowy River gold mine.

“What astounds me is I come to Reefton and find this level of pragmatism for a rapid response to a housing crisis. I don’t think I’ve seen anything quite like this in any other part of NZ,”Mr Jones told LDR.

Shane Jones said the mining company would create much goodwill by paying money in advance to secure the occupancy of the cottages.

“It’s so easy to make mining companies out as villains. But they are great producers of jobs, and I rather think this is their sweet spot now.”

The council, DWC and the Reefton Reserve board also deserved full marks for their ingenuity, the Minister said.

“When you think of the hundreds of millions that have been spent on shoving people in motels-and it falls to Reefton to show it could have been done another way, actually. “

He was amazed at how quickly the project had come together, Mr Jones said.

“It makes you wonder if we could do that in other parts of rural NZ 'cos because we have no shortage of reserves.

“Or the Crown could easily go and buy a bloody paddock, set up a bespoke wastewater scheme and bang 50 to 100 houses on it. Whether it’s for emergency housing or an influx of workers.”

While on the visit Mr Jones said the negative attitude to mining was starting to change.

“I don’t know if you can blame (former Labour PM) Helen Clark but there has been a long-term swell of rejection towards mining in last 35 years and I feel Reefton’s a site where we’re turning that tide.”

Endura’s new chief financial officer Louis Chaite said the miners’ new digs with their heat pumps and double-glazing were "fantastic".

But they will accommodate only a fraction of the company’s workforce. Over the next 18 months Endura will be taking on another 150 to 170 people, taking total staff numbers to about 250, Mr Chaite said.

“Most of the new staff will be working on the processing plant – we’re getting the foundations down and we should be pouring gold by December next year.”

Endura was investigating all possible ways to house its workers and was open to offers of board or rentals from locals, he said.

“We’ve felt very welcome here and we want to do what we can to benefit the community.”

The cabins – and another four to come were funded by Endura Mining (formerly Federation), a loan from Development West Coast, and a $300,000 grant made to the Buller District Council at the time of the former government’s Three Waters project.

The total budget was $1,731,102. The company has tunnelled three kilometres under conservation land to reach the fabled Birthday Reef beneath Waiuta.

The old gold-mining town 30 kilometres south of Reefton was abandoned in 1951 after the collapse of its ventilation shaft, but an estimated 790,000 ounces is thought to be still recoverable.

The Minister was ambushed at the Broadway Tearooms after the opening by a life-size Shane Jones effigy complete with small green frog perched on its shoulder.

The less than flattering papier mache statue had debuted to acclaim at the town’s last Christmas parade, according to Reefton businessman John Bougen, who commissioned it.

Shane Jones said he was greatly honoured “I’ll take it as a compliment from the locals - I can tell it's me: Freddy the Frog is a giveaway and look at the gob – I was born with my mouth wide open.”

However, he was alarmed to hear that the effigy had been lurking in someone’s bedroom since Christmas, the Minister said.

"That would be terrifying," he speculated.

-LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air

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