Keep mining out of conservation estate

There is no place for bulldozers, hardhats or toxic tailings in our conservation estate and I'm sick of the government trying to convince us otherwise.

Prime Minister John Key would call this a hysterical reaction. At his post-cabinet press conference yesterday he said there's too much "hysteria" over proposals to mine in conservation areas. He was expected to release the government's much-delayed discussion paper and make clear the direction and scope of the government's intentions. The paper, now four months overdue, was delayed again. The government's nervousness is palpable.

Energy and Resources Minister Gerry Brownlee had the job of flying the flag on this issue last year to test public reaction. The responses from the conservation lobby were direct and forthright such that the government embarked on private polling to test the reaction to various policy options. The public is wary at best about proposals to remove legal protections from some of New Zealand's conservation estate.

New Zealand can be proud of its well developed conservation movement and passionate environmental campaigners. In the wake of Brownlee's flag flying the successful anti-mining group Coromandel Watchdog has been revived and has begun running fundraisers to prepare for the expected battles ahead. The group has been in hibernation since it was successful in having Coromandel land to the north of the Kopu-Hikuai road protected from mining after a decades-long battle in which locals teamed up with environmental groups to protect one of the most environmentally sacred areas of the country.   

Coromandel Watchdog was right to re-form. Forest and Bird's Kevin Hackwell has released leaked details of the latest government proposals, which include allowing mining in Paparoa National Park, Great Barrier Island and the Coromandel.

Key is using the familiar political platitude about the government finding the right "balance" between economic opportunities and environmental responsibilities. In fact any balance has long been lost. The New Zealand landscape has become so denuded and degraded that we are down to the last couple of bites of the apple.

And it's disingenuous of Key to talk about "surgical" mining with a small environmental footprint. That doesn't apply here. For the most part the minerals sought are in low concentrations, which mean huge volumes of material being removed and processed for a small amount of metal.

In another piece of political spin Key is suggesting that royalties from mining companies could be used to establish a conservation fund to assist environmental projects. This is such a cynical ploy to sell a grubby, destructive policy. Mining companies would be more than happy to pay to "greenwash" their destructive activities.

A few baubles are no replacement for the environmental jewels the government is happy to see destroyed.

So what about economic growth from mining? It might show up in measures of GDP but the biggest economic impact of mining is likely to be an increase in our current account deficit - already at 8 per cent of GDP and increasing as mining profits are shifted offshore.

And we shouldn't think mining will bring lots of jobs. It won't. Modern mining produces few employment opportunities and the irony is that tourism requires far less capital investment per job created.

National would be better to tell the miners to keep their grubby paws off our conservation estate and put the emphasis on preserving our conservation estate for the benefit from tourism.

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