Media Release - Wanganui – 24 August 2001 Friday

Conservation Minister Sandra Lee Gets Standing Ovation for Macraes’ Mine Decision

Representatives of environment and conservation organisations from throughout New Zealand tonight gave Conservation Minister, Hon Sandra Lee, a standing ovation at the ECO annual conference being held in Wanganui.

A wide range of organisations from the Bay of Islands to the South Island pledged support for Minister Lee’s decision to decline GRD Macraes’ application for an open cast mine and tailings dumps on conservation land in Reefton.

The meeting passed by acclamation a resolution applauding the decision to conserve the Victoria Conservation Park from the impacts of hard rock mining.

Organisations represented at the meeting included the Federated Mountain Clubs, Environmental Futures, Greenpeace, Forest and Bird, National Council of Women, Buller Conservation Group, Native Forest Action, Nelson Environment Centre and many others.

"We want the West Coast intact, not the Waste Coast," said one person.

"We are worried by suggestions that Macraes may simply come back with a new application. We are putting the government on notice that we will take great exception to any attempt to push a new mining extension forward," said Cath Wallace of ECO.

The ECO coalition has over 65 member organisations, which together represent several hundreds of thousands of New Zealanders.

ENDS

For further information contact Cath Wallace on 025-622-7369

The meeting is at the Quaker Settlement, 76 Virginia Road, Wanganui.

Environment and Conservation Organisations of NZ Inc
P O Box 11-057, Wellington, eco@reddfish.co.nz, 04-385-7545

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