The discovery of gold at Wharekirauponga in the Southern zone of Te Paē o Hauraki the Coromandel Range, between Waihī and Whangamatā, the hidden horror of Oceana Golds expansion plans at Waihi (which include a new Open Pit mine, and a new huge Tailings Dam) combined with the government’s new approach to mining, and a surging gold price, has opened the floodgates for a worrying and pronounced increase of interest in gold mining in the area.
This new legislation, enacted in December 2024, has fundamentally changed the landscape. It has been designed to make it significantly easier for development, like gold mining, to bypass the robust environmental protections and crucial public consultation processes that were previously in place. This means that decisions about the future of our land and marine environments can now be made by a select few, with little to no say from the communities who live here and depend on these ecosystems.
The success of recent gold finds is acting like a beacon, drawing in other offshore mining interests. The message seems to be: if there’s gold here, come and get it – no matter what the cost! This is a terrifying prospect.
We’re already seeing the consequences of this shifted policy. There are companies with existing permits for gold exploration across the Southern areas – held by a range of companies – Otagold, Caladan Industries, Rua Gold and yet more applications from new companies, like Zealandia PTY Ltd. Collectively these companies now have permits across the vast majority of these Southern lands – thousands and thousands of hectares of some of Aotearoa’s most outstanding natural landscapes encompassing both conservation land, and private land.
The Fast-track Approvals Act has stripped away the communities’ and the wider public’s right to genuinely participate in decisions that will profoundly affect lives and the environment we all love and need so much, for generations. It seriously limits the voices of local iwi and also the knowledge and contributions of environmental experts, and concerned citizens who possess invaluable knowledge about these areas.
We are witnessing a dangerous prioritisation of resource extraction over the health of our environment and the well-being of our communities – and this beautiful corner of Aotearoa, Hauraki, is directly in the firing line.
The very essence of what makes Te Tara o te Ika a Māui the Coromandel special – the pristine waters, diverse marine life, and bush clad ranges, stunning coastline and iconic landscapes – are now under immense threat from this influx of mining interest.
We must question what kind of legacy we are leaving for future generations if we allow these vital ecosystems to be compromised without proper scrutiny or public consent. The fight to protect these precious places, both on land and offshore, has never been more urgent.