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New Zealand: Mining in Schedule 4 Conflict: Difference between revisions
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New Zealand: Mining in Schedule 4 Conflict (view source)
Revision as of 10:26, 30 March 2015
, 10:26, 30 March 2015→Public submissions process
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Oram was critical of the Government for not outlining a plan for dealing with a potentially substantial flow of money into the NZ economy. He noted that the United Kingdom had not been sensible enough to ring-fence income from its North Sea oil and gas deposits and use it as a fund to invest elsewhere in the economy. Norway, on the other hand, had invested its oil profits wisely. | Oram was critical of the Government for not outlining a plan for dealing with a potentially substantial flow of money into the NZ economy. He noted that the United Kingdom had not been sensible enough to ring-fence income from its North Sea oil and gas deposits and use it as a fund to invest elsewhere in the economy. Norway, on the other hand, had invested its oil profits wisely. | ||
===Government mishandling of the debate=== | |||
Whatever the relevant merits of the arguments put by the opposing camps, observers from both camps were sometimes united in their criticism of the Government’s mishandling of the issue. While there was general agreement that the state of New Zealand’s finances were dire and required innovative solutions, there was a general consensus that the Government had picked the wrong fight by advocating increased mining of mineral reserves and had communicated its intent poorly. | |||
Left-wing commentator Andrew Campbell said the Government had failed in its communications, its groundwork on the issue and its overall policy, which was opposed by the majority of New Zealanders,<ref>Radio New Zealand. (2010). Politics with Matthew Hooton and Andrew Campbell. Kathryn Ryan Nine to Noon. Retrieved from [http://static.radionz.net.nz/assets/audio_item/0008/2252186/ntn-20100329-1106-Politics-m048.asx.</ref> while right-wing commentator Matthew Hooton expressed frustration that by pushing for an increase in traditional mining production the National Party had not lived up to its election campaign promise to deliver innovative change to the economy.<ref>Radio New Zealand. (2010). Politics with Matthew Hooton and Andrew Campbell. Kathryn Ryan Nine to Noon. Retrieved from [http://static.radionz.net.nz/assets/audio_item/0007/2283811/ntn-20100503-1107-Politics-m048.asx]</ref> | |||
Echoing Hooton’s comments, Keith Ng said the Government’s proposal was “a giant leap backwards.”<ref>Ng, K. (2010). Rational, then. Public Address news blog. Retrieved from [http://publicaddress.net/onpoint/rational-then/]</ref> | |||
“We’ve spent so many years talking about the knowledge economy, moving up the value chain, selling ideas and knowhow rather than soil nutrients… and now the vision for a more productive New Zealand is digging shit up and cashing it in? | |||
“We know exactly why we can’t rely on the primary sector in the long-term. The more you squeeze out of the land, the harder you need to squeeze to get the next dollar out. It means that growth becomes harder, and we’ve said for years that moving up the value chain – agriscience, biotech, etc. – was the way forward,” wrote Ng. | |||
For Russell, the Government’s approach to process was “feckless”, Brow <ref name="Brown" /> reflecting its proclivity not to think issues through thoroughly before promoting a policy publicly. | |||
While Radio New Zealand business commentator, Rod Oram, was generally in favour of mining because New Zealand could not morally accept the benefits of other countries mining when it did not mine its own land, he expressed incredulity that the Government wished to pick a fight over land that might produce NZ$18 billion of income (as a proportion of conservation land potentially earmarked by the Government, i.e. 500 hectares out of 7,058 hectares) when it could mine other land that did not have any of the pitfalls of Schedule Four.<ref>Radio New Zealand. (2010). Business commentator – Rod Oram. Kathryn Ryan Nine to Noon. Retrieved from [http://static.radionz.net.nz/assets/audio_item/0011/2246528/ntn-20100323-1109-Business_commentator_-_Rod_Oram-m048.asx]</ref> | |||
This point about why the Government would pick a fight over such a highly contentious issue was picked up subsequently by Wellington barrister and environmental law lecturer at Victoria University in Wellington, Tom Bennion, when reviewing legal access to minerals in 2011. He asked why mining industry groups did not seek to debate access to Schedule Four lands during the many months that Government was reviewing Schedule Four before Brownlee made his proposal public. “The industry’s silence may indicate that it does not appreciate the minister’s bold initiative, which brought thousands out onto the streets to protest against mining”.<ref>Bennion. T. (2011). Access to minerals. Policy Quarterly, 7(1), 7-12.</ref> | |||
==Public submissions process== | ==Public submissions process== | ||
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#press release was made publicly available when the discussion paper was launched | #press release was made publicly available when the discussion paper was launched | ||
#iwi groups expressed a number of concerns and should be contacted 24 hours before release of the paper<ref>Cabinet Economic Growth and Infrastructure Committee: Minute of decision. Stocktake of Schedule 4 of the Crown Minerals Act 1991: Release of the Discussion Document. March 2010. Online www: http://www.med.govt.nz/upload/72484/3-CAB-Cabinet-Economic-Growth-and-Infrastructure-Committee-(EGI)-Minute-(10)-4_8-17-Mar-10.pdf </ref> | #iwi groups expressed a number of concerns and should be contacted 24 hours before release of the paper<ref>Cabinet Economic Growth and Infrastructure Committee: Minute of decision. Stocktake of Schedule 4 of the Crown Minerals Act 1991: Release of the Discussion Document. March 2010. Online www: http://www.med.govt.nz/upload/72484/3-CAB-Cabinet-Economic-Growth-and-Infrastructure-Committee-(EGI)-Minute-(10)-4_8-17-Mar-10.pdf </ref> | ||
== Transparency of information and discussion process == | == Transparency of information and discussion process == | ||
* Schedule 4 - Discussion paper<ref>Ministry of Economic Development, Department of Conservation: Maximising our Mineral Potential: Stocktake of Schedule 4 of the Crown Minerals Act and beyond. Discussion paper. March 2010. Online. WWW: http://www.med.govt.nz/upload/71967/Schedule%204%20stocktake%20-%20Discussion%20paper%20_with%20maps_.pdf </ref> stated that the Ministry of Economic Development and the Department of Conservation were “now seeking input from the community before making decisions about … policy initiatives set out in this paper. These actions aim to make the most of New Zealand’s mineral resources in an efficient and environmentally responsible way." | * Schedule 4 - Discussion paper<ref>Ministry of Economic Development, Department of Conservation: Maximising our Mineral Potential: Stocktake of Schedule 4 of the Crown Minerals Act and beyond. Discussion paper. March 2010. Online. WWW: http://www.med.govt.nz/upload/71967/Schedule%204%20stocktake%20-%20Discussion%20paper%20_with%20maps_.pdf </ref> stated that the Ministry of Economic Development and the Department of Conservation were “now seeking input from the community before making decisions about … policy initiatives set out in this paper. These actions aim to make the most of New Zealand’s mineral resources in an efficient and environmentally responsible way." | ||