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New Zealand: Mining in Schedule 4 Conflict: Difference between revisions
New Zealand: Mining in Schedule 4 Conflict (view source)
Revision as of 11:33, 3 May 2011
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== Introduction == | == Introduction == | ||
In March 2010, the New Zealand Government began canvassing the idea of removing land from | In 2009, the National-led New Zealand Government announced that it would review Schedule Four of the Crown Minerals Act which prohibits mining on high conservation status land. In March 2010, the New Zealand Government began actively canvassing the idea of removing land from Schedule Four in order to carrying out prospecting for rich mineral deposits. While releasing a discussion paper proposing a number of measures to develop New Zealand's mineral potential the Minister of Energy and Resources, Gerry Brownlee, and the Minister of Conservation, Kate Wilkinson, said a preliminary stocktake of Schedule Four land showed <ref>Media statement: Time to discuss maximising our mineral potential http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1003/S00313.htm</ref>: | ||
* New Zealand is mineral rich and extraction could be undertaken in an environmentally friendly way | * New Zealand is mineral rich and extraction could be undertaken in an environmentally friendly way | ||
* the mineral wealth was often highly concentrated in high conservation areas | * the mineral wealth was often highly concentrated in high conservation areas | ||
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The reaction to the Government's proposal was swift and vociferous. Environmental and local community groups, celebrities and opposition political parties immediately lined up against the Government, the mining industry and big business interest groups to condemn any suggestion of encroaching upon land with the highest protected conservation status in the country. | The reaction to the Government's proposal was swift and vociferous. Environmental and local community groups, celebrities and opposition political parties immediately lined up against the Government, the mining industry and big business interest groups to condemn any suggestion of encroaching upon land with the highest protected conservation status in the country. | ||
== Schedule Four - history == | |||
A large proportion of New Zealand's land is owned by the Crown (the State) - more than 80,000 km2 or approximately 30% of the country is public conservation land administered by the Department of Conservation[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protected_areas_of_New_Zealand]]. These are areas generally closed to mining activities, which are governed by the Crown Minerals Act passed by parliament in 1991. The Act "sets the broad legislative policy for prospecting, exploration and mining of Crown-owned minerals in New Zealand"<ref>New Zealand Ministry of Economic Development, Legislation, Petroleum and Minerals http://www.crownminerals.govt.nz/cms/minerals/legislation/legislation#CMAct retrieved 3 May 2010</ref>. | |||
In 1997, the Act was amended to create an absolute mining prohibition on protected land. The amendment included a Section 61 preventing the Minister of Conservation from approving access arrangements for any Crown-owned land in Schedule Four (also newly created by the amendment). The amendment was successfully guided through parliament by a National-led government with wide cross-party support. Approximately 750,000 hectares was added to Schedule Four in 2008 and was criticised by the mining industry for lacking consultation and bypassing any comprehensive analysis of the conservation values of the land or its mineral potential<ref>Submission to Ministry of Economic Development on Schedule 4 stocktake, April 2010 http://www.coalnz.com/index.cfm/3,369,886/solid_energy_submission_lodged_on_schedule_4.pdf retrieved 3 May 2010</ref>. | |||
“New Zealand is blessed with magnificent landscapes, rich forests, and a unique biodiversity. We have a proud history of protecting these precious places and the species that rely on them for survival. Over many generations, New Zealanders have fought hard to protect our National Parks and other conservation areas.” This is what the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand web says about the unique nature in New Zealand<ref name=Green>The Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand Submission Guide: Mining in Schedule 4 Copyright © 1996-2010 http://www.greens.org.nz/takeaction/submissionguides/submission-guide-mining-schedule-4</ref>. | “New Zealand is blessed with magnificent landscapes, rich forests, and a unique biodiversity. We have a proud history of protecting these precious places and the species that rely on them for survival. Over many generations, New Zealanders have fought hard to protect our National Parks and other conservation areas.” This is what the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand web says about the unique nature in New Zealand<ref name=Green>The Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand Submission Guide: Mining in Schedule 4 Copyright © 1996-2010 http://www.greens.org.nz/takeaction/submissionguides/submission-guide-mining-schedule-4</ref>. | ||