See our media release here.
We marched in 2010 to maintain a robust protection of Schedule 4 because this is the highest valued conservation land in Aotearoa/New Zealand.
We marched to keep areas proposed for removal in the Schedule so that their biodiversity, conservation and recreation values would not be diminished by the destructive and industrial nature of mining.
We marched to keep corporations like Newmont Gold, a multinational gold miner with a controversial reputation here and internationally, from expanding outside of Waihi further into Hauraki/Coromandel.
We marched to honour the hard work that so many have done over 30 years to keep the Coromandel pure and integral for future generations.
However Schedule 4 land in the Coromandel Peninsula is not safe from mining with the National government allowing companies to ‘have a look’ for mineral resources in our most precious areas.
The Government is allowing mineral prospecting on protected conservation land despite promising in 2010 no mining will be allowed on such high-value estate.
Eight consents have been granted to prospect and explore for coal and other minerals in Coromandel and the West Coast’s Paparoa National Park.
That’s right – our government is allowing prospecting for minerals in land protected Schedule 4 of the Crown Minerals Act, which we marched to protect in 2010.
We did not march for this.
We ask the government, the ministry of conservation and the department of conservation to not allow any further access to Schedule 4 land for mineral exploration or prospecting activities and to revoke existing access agreements made public by the Green Party this morning.