Grey Lynn 2030 Submission Mining

As a transition community we are strongly opposed removal of any conservation land from Schedule 4 protection to enable exploration or mining to take place.   We do not therefore support the government’s proposal to remove the following areas from Schedule 4:

• The Inangahua sector of Paparoa National Park
• The Otahu Ecological Area in the Coromandel
• Parakawai Geological Area in the Coromandel
• The additional seven areas in the Coromandel Peninsula totalling 2,574 hectares
• 705 hectares of the Te Ahumata Plateau are on Great Barrier Island

Moreover, we support the addition to the existing Schedule of the 12,400ha of conservation land that now qualifies to be in Schedule 4.   We believe that marine reserves, national park additions, scientific, scenic and nature reserves should automatically be added to Schedule 4 once gazetted to ensure ongoing protection from mining and exploration activities.

We also oppose the  intended mineral survey of vast swathes of additional land including Northland and Stewart Island (Rakiura National Park), Mt Aspiring National Park, areas of Northland including Waipoua Kauri Forest and inland Nelson as depicted on the MED website.

We believe that any mining in conservation areas will be damaging to New Zealand’s clean and green international reputation which underpins billions of dollars of economic value and countless jobs in tourism, agriculture and other sectors.  This reputation would be harmed irreparably by allowing mining in our conservation estate.   Mining is not a sustainable activity and we believe that the long term economic value of our green image outweighs the short term ecomonic benefit of mining.

The quality and pure reputation that NZ enjoys has built up over many decades with significant investment is essential for New Zealand’s well being.  This reputation offers the best advantage and opportunity for enhancing our economic strength rather than the highly inefficient extractive industry that cannot serve New Zealand in a world moving towards clean and renewable technology and industry.

We call on the government to follow an economic vision for the 21st century that plays to the strength of our clean and green reputation and meets the challenges of climate change.  This includes abandoning all plans to remove conservation land from Schedule Four or allow mining therein, and committing to a 40% by 2020 emissions reduction target.

Grey Lynn 2030 Steering Committee