“Greens Fast Track Mining Policy is Common Sense
Leadership”
The environment group Coromandel
Watchdog Hauraki is supportive of the mining policy related
to the Fast Track law launched today by the
Greens.
“At last someone is making a clear public
commitment to revoke some of the consents issued under this
draconian law which the Government plans to make even worse
by Christmas” said Watchdog Co-Ordinator Augusta
Macassey-Pickard who attended the launch at Parliament
today
“The commitment to a reversal of consents for
new hard rock gold mining, seabed mining and coal mining
consents under Fast Track is a beacon of hope for
communities fighting for forests, clean water and
biodiversity. We have been involved in the Fast Track Panel
process and its been extremely limited and narrow. We are
halfway through the process for the Waihi North mining
consent process which will allow underground mines in a
conservation forest, threaten rare species, and create more
toxic waste dumps and long term costs to our region. The
company Oceana Gold is also applying to dig another huge
open pit in Waihi and conduct more mining under that town.
We have commented to the Panel with our 15 expert
witnesses’ evidence, but there was so little time to
respond to the numerous troubling issues raised in the Waihi
North application. There is currently no scope for cross
examination except by a Panel under severe time pressure
with these huge applications. The Government is forcing
unwise decision making upon the country and the foreign
companies need to know that a new Government may not uphold
these bad decisions.
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The leadership by the Greens is a
wake up call to the Opposition parties and Labour should
immediately commit to reversing these consents’ said
Augusta.
“The submissions close today on the even
more draconian amendments Bill on the Fast Track, initiated
by Shane Jones to ensure there is no public and iwi
participation in the process unless Councils opt out, and
strong Ministerial interference in the definitions of
regional and national benefit. It’s a travesty of the so
called democratic processes.
Our organisation is
non-partisan and supports no political party but we support
good policy and common sense and we hope other political
parties will show the leadership the Greens have shown
today“ Ms Macassey-Pickard
said.
