Take aCTION
Dear Mining Companies Go AWAY Stay AWAY! This is an Open Letter to all mining companies that are looking to mine in Hauraki, including in Te Tara o Te Ika a Maūi. As at November 2024, several multinational miners have taken permits – RuaGold (Canada), Mineralogy (Australia), Otagold, New Talisman Gold (Australia) and Caladan Mining Ltd, and OceanaGold. To these companies, we say Go Away, Stay Away! You are not welcome here, we do not want your toxic mines – leave the gold in the ground! Earlier in 2024 the Ōhinemuri River turned orange, as toxic waste of mining from 100 years ago was released into the River, dumping vast quantities of heavy metals, including Arsenic, into the system. This toxic sludge now sits in the corners of the River, and the community has been told to ‘avoid’ it. And there are already the vast toxic tailings waste dams at Waihi, huge ‘hills’ above; what legacy will this be for the generations that inherit this world from us?
We do not need or want to build more of these time bombs – especially not so that a few multinationals can come in and take the gold while the gold prices are high, only to bail out when they drop, leaving communities floundering. Our communities value this place, we value its biodiverse environment, its glorious hills.
Many of us rely on the natural beauty, the stunning and unique aspects of these landscapes, these forests, these towns, for our livelihoods – and of course our lifestyles! We understand that mining threatens this, that there are such major risks with mining, with mine waste that the consequences would be utterly catastrophic! Now, in a time when our natural world is under so much pressure, we need to protect our environment, not exploit it – and certainly not exploit it for the financial benefit of a very few. So, to be clear: Gold Mining Companies are NOT welcome here in Hauraki and Te Tara o te Ika a Maūi.
We will resist, we will stand for the land, the rivers and future generations. We will stand for nature! Signed: Coromandel Watchdog of Hauraki and
Go Away Stay Away
Join your local group – CWoH is an umbrella group for smaller local groups all around the Peninsula. Whenever and wherever mining activity pops up, locals unite against it, supported by us! We work hard to support our local groups and to help them support each other – our communities have really grown in the past 40+ years! People often ask ‘what can I do?’ – joining you local group is one of the most important if you are a local – or regular visitor- to an area. That way you will be ‘in the know’ about local events or actions, and be able to really get involved!
Local groups are vital for raising awareness in their communities and monitoring the activities of the companies. Where we at CWoH take the weight of making submissions and keeping across the legal stuff, it’s our local groups who are our first – and last – line of defence!
Theres a full list of local group contacts over on our Contact page – but please do email us if you have any trouble reaching them!
Could you spend $10 p/month to support our work?
Making a regular donation to us is one of the most helpful ways of supporting our work, as it gives us some stability of income. We are an entirely not for profit group, and we rely on the contributions of others who want to help to protect our beautiful corner from mining!
Donate online Email info@watchdog.org.nz to discuss, or set it up today (Coromandel Watchdog of Hauraki # 38-9006-0733863-00, reference: donor) or sign up online
General donations are always GREATLY appreciated too, obviously! They can be made into the same account number…
We do also have our givealittle page.
The more financial members we have the more likely we are to get funding for our legal costs that arise from this initiative, the fight to ensure mining is prohibited in the coastal areas and outstanding natural landscapes of Coromandel Peninsula and range, the Hauraki… so please encourage your friends and family to join too!
Coromandel Watchdog of Hauraki is a community based and run organisation; we are our members.
Become a member now, and find out how you can be involved. You may want to volunteer, you may just want to come along to one of our events, or you may just want to keep up to date with what is happening. We appreciate that you don’t want to see our beautiful Hauraki Coromandel destroyed! Join now so that we can keep you up to date with our campaigns, share our successes with you and invite you to our events.
Join by clicking HERE (takes you to webform)
Or via direct deposit into our Kiwibank account:
Account name: Coromandel Watchdog of Hauraki
Account no: 38-9006-0733863-00
If you do this, and also want to become a member, please don’t forget to email and let us know that you are joining this way!
Like us on Facebook. Please Share our posts!
And we’re on Instagram – and why not share your photos and experiences of these magic places too!
Get knowledgeable and talk to your friends, family, colleagues and acquaintances about these issues, and about the legacy of mining – is it one they are happy leaving?.
Come to events and protests. Organise events and protests!
Enjoy and share the beauty of te Tara o Te Ika a Maui!
If you have property in the area – host a sign, get creative and make sure any miners passing through knows that they are not welcome!
Never underestimate the power of letter writing to our politicians who need to know what will get the votes – and what won’t. We’ve highlighted a few below, or use our full list here.
Some points you could raise include: mining leaves a toxic legacy of tailings, heavy metal leaching, unstable geography, water pollution (of aquifers, as well as above ground!); it industrializes of Aotearoa’s precious landscapes; the country’s other industries compromised, physically and also in the ‘minds eye’ – the unique, famous Hauraki Coromandel riddled with tunnels leaking heavy metals into the rivers and down to the coast, trucks coming and going – not quite the image we have now!
And write to media – Op Eds in the papers can be very helpful – and help keep the pressure on! As can letters to papers, magazines and other local media. Basically – any chance to get eyes on the issue, and raise awareness!
Email Addresses for Ministers:
Prime Minister
Christopher Luxon: Christopher.Luxon@parliament.govt.nz
Minister Regional Development and Resources
Shane Jones:Shane.Jones@parliament.govt.nz
Minister for Infrastructure
Chris Bishop: Chris.bishop@parliament.govt.nz
Minister for Conservation
Tama Potaka: Tama.Potaka@parliament.govt.nz
Full List of MP’s here