On January 31, Coromandel Watchdog of Hauraki and locals from across the region protested at Waihī, where Minister Shane Jones is launched the Minerals Strategy for New Zealand and the ‘Critical’ Minerals List.
A great turnout of over 100 concerned people from around the District were shocked and outraged to learn the the Minister was adding Gold and metallurgical Coal to the Strategy, despite neither being considered ‘critical’ in any of the advice given – so critical to whom?!
“We are appalled by the Government’s 19th century approach to mining and our economy and we expect the Strategy will meet our worst fears. We will not be able to attend the event and hear the detail but we submitted on the draft strategy and unless there is radical change we know it’s going to be bad for the country.” Catherine Delahunty
Combined with the Fast Track law this Strategy and the promotion of mining minerals such as gold, coal, antimony and various rare earths will lead to greater environmental risks and no public scrutiny.
Relying on foreign miners to fix the economy is an act of desperation, we cannot compete against China and Australia and we have only small quantities of what Government calls “critical minerals” – while also calling them transition minerals . Just as other countries are developing alternatives to lithium and other metals the Government and corporate miners are planning to rip into conservation land and out seabed for short term foreign benefit.
This launch is happening at the foot of the huge toxic waste dumps of heavy metals at Waihi, the legacy of risk our children will inherit. Oceana is about to dig under critical biodiversity habitat on conservation lands.
We know many people support our opposition to this type of toxic gold mining and the threats from sea bed mining, coal mining and more. The Strategy doesn’t tell us how we can mine without toxic results or place any value on the quality of the environment.
There are many alternatives to mining to create long term jobs and protect our climate and biodiversity- this Strategy is a failure of leadership and we will fight it to protect future generations.
44% of gold ends up as bullion in foreign banks, 49% in jewellery and then just 6% in electronics…. we absolutely reject that we ‘need’ gold mined from in conservation land at the expense of our environment – the toxic legacy alone makes it not worthwhile!