21 September 2010

Greens welcome PCE’s findings on mining

The Green Party welcomes the findings of the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment in her latest report Making difficult decisions: Mining the conservation estate.

“This authoritative and independent assessment rejects nearly all of the Key Government’s changes designed to fast-track mining in the conservation estate,” said Green Party conservation spokesperson Kevin Hague.

The Commissioner specifically criticised the Government’s proposal to give two ministers shared decision-making responsibility for mining access to the conservation estate.

“Shared decision-making compromises the accountability of the Minister of Conservation to act first and foremost in the interests of the conservation estate,” said Mr Hague.

“The Commissioner recommended sensible alternative improvements to the regulatory framework around granting mining access to the conservation estate. These recommendations are good for conservation, helping to protect the places we love, and will put the mining industry on a level playing field with other commercial users of the conservation estate.

“Right now, the playing field is tipped heavily in favour of mining. Eco-tourism is a competing use of the conservation estate — yet this Government has largely overlooked this smarter, more sustainable alternative to mining.”

The Green Party has offered to work collaboratively with the National Government to develop a nationally consistent framework and guidelines for evaluating applications for mining on conservation land.

“We would make sure we set the mining bar very high to ensure New Zealanders that they’re not having the land pulled from under their feet by large overseas mining companies that have little interest in protecting the very places we love,” said Mr Hague.

Making difficult decisions: Mining the conservation estate:
http://www.pce.parliament.nz/

ENDS

© Scoop Media