Te Pāti Māori is gravely concerned by the Government’s approval of Trans-Tasman Resources’ (Taranaki VTM) application to proceed to the final phase of its fast-track regime. This paves the way for the first commercial shallow seabed mining operation ever approved anywhere in the world, forced through with no transparency, no public input, and no consent from tangata whenua.

“This project will extract 50 million tonnes of seabed every year, dumping millions of tonnes of sludge into the moana for 35 consecutive years” said Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Te Tai Hauāuru, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer.

“Iwi, hapū, whānau, and local government have spent over a decade fighting to stop this destructive proposal, winning in the highest courts of the land.

“The approval hasn’t come because it’s safe or supported. It’s been enabled by a fast-track process that gives unchecked power to Ministers and shuts out those most affected.”

Te Pāti Māori acknowledges the tireless efforts of iwi, environmental protectors, legal experts, scientists, divers, and everyday New Zealanders who have stood up for this moana.

“Their voices weren’t lost they were deliberately excluded. This decision is devastating. It confirms that economic interests have been placed above environmental safety, public accountability, and Treaty justice. The fast-track regime isn’t about efficiency, it’s about erasure” said Ngarewa-Packer.

Te Pāti Māori stands in full solidarity with iwi, communities, and all New Zealanders who oppose this decision. We reaffirm our total opposition to seabed mining and the fast-track process that enabled it.

“We must make this a one-term government and repeal the fast-track regime at the very first opportunity” concluded Ngarewa-Packer.

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