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The government is to consider removing protection for some areas of conservation land so they can be mined, Prime Minister John Key says.
Energy Minister Gerry Brownlee last year controversially started
a stocktake of valuable minerals in Conservation land protected
under Schedule Four of the Crown Minerals Act.
The estimated value of untapped minerals has been put at about
$140 billion - about 70% of that in the conservation estate
In his opening statement to parliament on Tuesday, Key said that a discussion paper on potential changes to land covered under the schedule would recommend that some land be removed and that other areas be added.
"Notwithstanding the public consultation process, it is my expectation that the Government will act on at least some of these recommendations and make significant changes to Schedule 4," Key says.
"This is because new mining on Crown land has the potential to increase economic growth and create jobs."
He said mining on conservation land would have to meet strict environmental tests.
"There is ... extraordinary economic potential in the mineral estate residing in Crown-owned land."
As a sweetener Key also announced a new Conservation Fund which could get some of its revenue from mining operations on Crown land.
The fund will resource conservation projects.
"Terrible decision"
Green Party co-leader Metiria Turei told NZPA that the decision was terrible for New Zealand.
"He's going to try sell off the conservation land to international mining interests and expect that the country will be satisfied with a small conservation fund," she says.
"He's going to cause enormous damage to our tourism industry, he's going to radically affect our biodiversity values in this country which are already at serious risk, and for very little value. Because most of our economic value in the conservation estate is in its natural resources, its forests, its clean waters not in the mineral wealth."
Key says New Zealand needed to use its resources.
"At the moment less than one one-hundreth of one percent is currently being mined. We think there is much greater capability and capacity than that," he told reporters.
At the weekend Reserve Bank Governor Alan Bollard said the government's goal of catching up with Australia's growth and wage rates was unrealistic and it should focus more on how it could benefit from its bigger neighbour's wealth.
Key says Bollard had highlighted the importance of minerals to
Australia's economy.
"Well Alan Bollard might be satisfied with the crumbs off
Australia's table, I want the entre, the main course and the
dessert."
Brownlee would not say how much land would be taken off the schedule.
"We have indicated what we think the gross potential value of minerals in New Zealand is. Their recovered value to the economy is another thing, we will just progress that slowly," he told reporters.
"We do think though it is a significant opportunity for the
country and we have been very cautious it will take some years to
develop. Conservation values are very important to all New
Zealanders and that is why we are going through the exercise of
having public consultation over anything we might do with schedule
four."
What do you think of the government's idea to mine some DOC land? Share your thoughts on our messageboard below.
Add a Comment:
Post new commentmenacerec said on 2010-07-24 @ 00:53 NZDT: Report abusive post
John needs the boot... not just for this either.
menacerec said on 2010-07-24 @ 00:49 NZDT: Report abusive post
No hawthorne, what National have done is gone back on multiple significant election promises. Their economic policies have already shown to correlate with increases in income inequality. They are increasing our debt in order to give the upper 5% of earners the greatest tax cuts, although 75% of the population is hardly left with enough to live on. They are further cutting the rights of workers in favour of big businesses, their true agenda is quite clear.
irwin said on 2010-07-21 @ 11:05 NZDT: Report abusive post
The protest actions taken by my fellow NZers and the governments decision not to proceed with the mining on DOC land makes me very proud to be a Kiwi. This is democracy at its finest and those people who say the government should never investigated it in the first place have lost the plot. The people have spoken and the government has listened. Great.
ukustarmitch said on 2010-07-21 @ 10:01 NZDT: Report abusive post
HAHAHA this is too funny. How dare they consider destroying our beautiful landscape! National, you did the right thing, but don't expect me to vote for you in next years election
SantaCruz66 said on 2010-07-21 @ 08:54 NZDT: Report abusive post
Simply a matter of matter that Gerry doesn't want to mine what he can't walk around. 50k kiwis marched because Gerry et al missed the point. Good democracy for sure but political ineptitude and appalling stewardship - all Gerry had to do was announce it the conference and he would have been fine :)