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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 12:25, 30 March 2015
, 12:25, 30 March 2015→Final decision
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== Final decision == | == Final decision == | ||
===Results of the public feedback process | ===Results of the public feedback process=== | ||
The final decision was based upon the outcomes of the consultation process; these reflected the views of a huge number of organizations, as well as individuals (although a large number of these were presented via pro forma submissions). | |||
As a Government media release from 20 July 2010<ref>Ministry of Economic Development: Ministers' media release 20 July 2010 Hon Gerry Brownlee, Minister of Energy and Resources, Hon Kate Wilkinson, Minister of Conservation. 20 July 2010 Online. WWW: http://www.med.govt.nz/templates/Page____44104.aspx</ref> stated: “Government was undertaking a genuine consultation process and had not made up its mind on any of the matters prior to the eight week discussion period which began on March 22. ... The government received 37,552 submissions … and the vast majority of submissions were focused on the proposal to remove 0.2 per cent of land from Schedule 4 to allow for wider mineral prospecting on those sites. | |||
As a Government media release from 20 July 2010<ref>Ministry of Economic Development: Ministers' media release 20 July 2010 Hon Gerry Brownlee, Minister of Energy and Resources, Hon Kate Wilkinson, Minister of Conservation. 20 July 2010 Online. WWW: http://www.med.govt.nz/templates/Page____44104.aspx</ref> | |||
stated: “Government was undertaking a genuine consultation process and had not made up its mind on any of the matters prior to the eight week discussion period which began on March 22. ... The government received 37,552 submissions … and the vast majority of submissions were focused on the proposal to remove 0.2 per cent of land from Schedule 4 to allow for wider mineral prospecting on those sites. | |||
“Most of those submissions said we should not remove any land from Schedule 4. We heard that message loud and clear.” | |||
=== Outline of the final decision === | === Outline of the final decision === | ||
In July 2010, the Government confirmed it no longer planned to remove any land from Schedule 4 of the Crown Minerals Act for the purposes of further mineral exploration or extraction. Instead, it will focus its efforts on exploiting New Zealand's mineral wealth in areas that fall outside conservation areas. The reason for this decision was that the Government received nearly 40,0000 submissions after launching a discussion document, resulting in public protest actions, including street demonstrations. The Government was “forced to drop the plans because of the public outcry” as “New Zealanders did not want to see their pristine conservation estates and their national parks dug up for mines”.<ref>Labour Party leader Phil Goff quoted in Tracey Watkins, Government back-down on mining, The Press, 20 July 2011 http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/south-island/3935789/Government-back-down-on-mining retrieved 6 May 2011</ref> New areas were to be added to Schedule 4 by October 2010 as originally planned. | In July 2010, the Government confirmed it no longer planned to remove any land from Schedule 4 of the Crown Minerals Act for the purposes of further mineral exploration or extraction. Instead, it will focus its efforts on exploiting New Zealand's mineral wealth in areas that fall outside conservation areas. The reason for this decision was that the Government received nearly 40,0000 submissions after launching a discussion document, resulting in public protest actions, including street demonstrations. The Government was “forced to drop the plans because of the public outcry” as “New Zealanders did not want to see their pristine conservation estates and their national parks dug up for mines”.<ref>Labour Party leader Phil Goff quoted in Tracey Watkins, Government back-down on mining, The Press, 20 July 2011 http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/south-island/3935789/Government-back-down-on-mining retrieved 6 May 2011</ref> New areas were to be added to Schedule 4 by October 2010 as originally planned. | ||
However, the Government still saw a silver lining to the outcome, as Energy Minister Brownlee said: “I suspect few New Zealanders knew the country had such considerable mineral potential before we undertook this process and I get a sense that New Zealanders are now much more aware of that potential and how it might contribute to economic growth.”<ref> | However, the Government still saw a silver lining to the outcome, as Energy Minister Brownlee said: “I suspect few New Zealanders knew the country had such considerable mineral potential before we undertook this process and I get a sense that New Zealanders are now much more aware of that potential and how it might contribute to economic growth.”<ref>Watkins, T. Government back-down on mining, The Press, 20 July 2010. Available from http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/south-island/3935789/Government-back-down-on-mining </ref> | ||
== The future of mining in New Zealand == | == The future of mining in New Zealand == | ||