Govt eyes island's $7b in minerals

BY DAVID WILLIAMS

Prime Minister John Key says he is not concerned about one of his backbenchers speaking out against mining proposals.

The Government announced yesterday plans to take land in the Coromandel, Great Barrier Island and parts of Paparoa National Park on the West Coast out of the protection of schedule 4 in the Crown Minerals Act.

The Government will also spend $4 million looking at potentially mineral-rich schedule 4 land in other parts of the Coromandel and in Paparoa National Park, as well as Rakiura National Park on Stewart Island.

Labour leader Phil Goff said this morning a Labour government would return any land removed from schedule 4 under the legislative protection from mining.

Southland District Mayor Frana Cardno and Auckland Mayor John Banks have already spoken out against the proposal, as has National's Auckland Central MP Nikki Kaye.

Kaye this morning reiterated her opposition as she headed into a caucus meeting with National Party colleagues.

"I don't think the case [for mining] adds up with Great Barrier Island."

But she would not say whether she opposed mining in other parts of the country.

"I know my electorate very well and I feel I know Great Barrier Island so I feel I'm able to comment on that. I spent the last 18 months working very hard on some environmental issues in the electorate so that's what I know about."

She also refused to be drawn on whether she would continue to oppose the move if it came down to a vote.

"At the moment there are no plans for legislation, but you cross that bridge when you come to it."

Key told reporters he was "not overly concerned" about Ms Kaye's comments and said he had known she would make them.

"I think she is saying that she has specific views on this and has held those views for a long period of time," Key said.

"The question is whether the merits of that argument stack up. Now, at the moment, what we're saying to New Zealanders is there is a real potential there, there is already extensive mining activity in New Zealand and here is an opportunity to potentially extend that."

Banks said he would fight any moves to mine Great Barrier Island.

"This is the untouched jewel in the crown of Hauraki Maritime Park. Any suggestion it should be removed from schedule 4 will be met with strong opposition from the citizens of Auckland."

Energy and Resources Minister Gerry Brownlee said he had discussed the Kaye's concerns with her on Sunday. Her views did not undermine the Government, he said.

"This is a public discussion document and I think Nikki has centred her concerns on a part of her electorate and that's quite reasonable."

"You've got to respect the fact that people are elected in electorates and they have to represent their electorates and this is a public consultation document. MPs are part of the general discussion on that."

"Nikki is expressing a view about her concerns and that is perfectly reasonable."

Brownlee said the changes would be made through a non-legislative process so Kaye would not have an opportunity to vote against the Government.

Brownlee said the public mood was 50-50.

"It will just be interesting to see where public opinion goes."

"We're talking about an area of land that is comparatively the size of a postcard on Eden Park. It's not a big deal."

Mr Brownlee said only a "tiny percentage" of land - 0.2 per cent - would be removed from the schedule under the proposal - "nothing like the vast tracts of land suggested to date by the environmental lobby".

As little as 500ha would probably be mined.

Southland Mayor opposes mining proposal

The prospect of mining up to $7 billion of minerals beneath a Stewart Island national park is opposed by Southland District Mayor Frana Cardno.

The Government has given the public six weeks to comment on plans to remove some of the country's most precious conservation land from special protection, including part of Paparoa National Park on the West Coast.

It also announced yesterday a $4 million survey to further investigate mineral-rich areas in other protected Schedule Four areas of the conservation estate, including about $7b of "rare earth elements", gold, nickel and platinum in part of Stewart Island's Rakiura National Park.

Cardno said she would oppose mining in Rakiura National Park.

"I'd be very nervous about the possibility," she said.

"Stewart Island is a growing tourism destination where people want to go and find pure New Zealand. It's one of the last paradises left in the world."

Energy and Resources Minister Gerry Brownlee and Conservation Minister Kate Wilkinson said a stocktake put the value of the country's mineral resources at $194b, excluding coal and hydrocarbons, and $80b was on schedule 4 land. There was potential for about $60b worth to be mined.

Brownlee said only a "tiny percentage" of land – 0.2 per cent – would be removed from the schedule under the proposal.

It was an area equivalent to "a postcard on Eden Park".

As little as 500 hectares would probably be mined, he said.

Cardno said she was pleased that the Government had decided not to touch Fiordland and Mt Aspiring national parks.

However, she said she would like "Stewart Island to be there too".

Real Journeys, the island's largest tourism company, said it would be worried about anything that undermined Stewart Island's "pristine experience".

Chief executive Dave Hawkey said modern mining techniques could have minimal impact, but he was worried tourists might not like an influx of mining infrastructure, such as trucks or barges.

"We don't want to see [people] turned off by the perception the island's just a big mining place."

- © Fairfax NZ News