Government Paying Lipservice to Sustainability

te-pati-maori

Thu Jun 07 2007 12:00:00 GMT+1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)

Government Paying Lipservice to Sustainability

Thursday, 7 June 2007, 11:21 am
Press Release: The Maori Party

Tariana Turia; Co-leader of the Maori Party

Thursday 7 June 2007

Tariana Turia today questioned the Government’s commitment to sustainability in light of the devastating impacts of iron-sand mining, mineral exploration and oil drilling.

“Each time the Government opens the door to let international companies tender for a prospecting licence, they are opening the door to exploitation which will inevitably lead to a damaged marine eco-system and land” said Mrs Turia.

“Mining affects the seabed environment, the beaches, the fisheries, the marine habitat, and ecosystems beneath the sea” said Mrs Turia. “The Government should be particularly sensitive to the inevitable impact on the home of the endangered Maui dolphins when it allows prospecting to take place”.

Mrs Turia’s comments followed a hui this week (Tuesday) in the Raglan Town Hall to discuss the application from Sinosteel Australia to mine for iron sands (titano-magnetite) and base metal mineralisation over 12, 000 square kilometres of the Central West Coastline.

“I have been told that this is the third such application in two years” said Mrs Turia.

“I know also that iwi around Aotearoa are angry about other moves to bring ironsand mining to their coastline” said Mrs Turia.

“In Te Tai Hauauru, Taranaki people have been concerned about applications from the Australian registered consortium BQL; or Australia and New Zealand Investments to prospect for ironsand from North Taranaki to the Waikato River heads”.

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“While in Te Wai Pounamu, Manawhenua ki Mohua (Golden Bay iwi) and Ngati Rarua opposed the application from Perth-based Crossland Resources who sought an exclusive prospecting permit to prospect all metallic minerals for a two year period”.

“Iwi have also told me that whilst section four of the Crown Minerals Act at least specifies that hapu and iwi must be informed and given an opportunity to exclude areas, there is no such requirement for consultation with the general public” said Mrs Turia.

“The people have told us, at Maori Party hui, that the Crown Minerals Act should be amended to ensure the wider community are also informed about the extent to which the lands of Aotearoa are deemed to be the Crown’s Mineral Estate”.

“These companies only have to pay a pittance (it costs $1600 for a prospecting licence); and meagre royalties ($3.50 per sq km)” said Mrs Turia.

“Exploitation is cheap – and yet the price we pay in having to protect, once more, our sacred maunga, whenua, wahi tapu, urupa from such exploration is severe”.

“Section 51 of the Crown Minerals Act invites anyone in to Aotearoa, with only minimal restrictions (ten days working notice is required for ‘minimum impact activity’)” said Mrs Turia. “Nothing is sacred to this Government – whenua that we thought safely under our feet, is still potentially at risk of being explored and then mined and destroyed”.

“Our over-riding concern is about the concept of informed consent” said Mrs Turia. “Surely in a healthy democracy, all New Zealanders should have all the information before consent can be given”.

“We need to know why the Government is keeping the secrets of exploitation – who are these companies, and in whose benefit do they work? Who gets the advantage from their mineral excavations?”

Background

- The current application is to obtain a prospecting permit for all minerals from the West Coast inland 60km between Manukau Heads and Taranaki.

- The foreshore and seabed mining areas are already being prospected by companies such as Rio Tinto Mining and Exploration Limited, in a joint venture with Iron Ore NZ Ltd which has a licence to explore for iron sands at three sites off the West Coast of the North Island.

- Sinosteel is surveying for minerals on the lands. Sinosteel is China’s second largest iron-ore mining company. Sinosteel reports have confirmed that “foreign investment is welcome in advance of upcoming trade talks between China and New Zealand later in 2007” (April 2007).

- Part 1, section 4 of the Crown Minerals Act 1991 specifies that all persons exercising functions and powers under this Act shall have regard to the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi (Te Tiriti o Waitangi)

- Part 1, section 51 of the Crown Minerals Act 1991 specifies that regarding entry on Maori land for minimum impact activity, the permit holder shall give not less than 10 working days notices to the local iwi authority of the land to be entered.

ENDS

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