Coromandel Watchdog of Hauraki are furious that Labour have announced they will not support the Green Member Eugenie Sage’s Bill which would have advanced Labour’s own mining policy.

“It’s ridiculous that Labour wouldn’t allow the “Crown Minerals( Prohibition of Mining ) Amendment Bill to even go to a Select Committee for public submissions. It is a Members Bill that reflects their own “ our nuclear moment, is a very good idea [sic]. The other excuse is that the Bill might affect pounamu harvest or Te Tiriti issues, which could be easily clarified at Select Committee.

The assertions by Government that the stewardship review will protect more DOC land are simply not true. Much of the land under threat from mining in the Hauraki and West Coast regions is not stewardship land, but high value conservation land. What is more, the yet to be classified stewardship land should act as a buffer to high value land rather than be handed over to miners.

By refusing to support a Green Members Bill despite being in a Co-operation Agreement with them Labour are showing disrespect for the Greens and for their own policy announced in 2014 and again in 2017 in the Speech from the Throne.

It is also ridiculous for Government to claim that current mining is controlled under robust legal processes. The Crown Minerals Act has a purpose statement which is to facilitate mining and the RMA is under complete review because it does not work to protect the environment. There are no robust protections to stop our mountains, forests and rare species from being mined except the Government promise, which once again they have failed to honour.

ENDS

Catherine Delahunty

Chair Coromandel Watchdog

021 2421967

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