Commissioner is right: conservation should come first

Forest & Bird welcomes the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment’s report about mining on conservation land as a reasoned and rational way of ensuring mining does not compromise conservation.

The commissioner, Dr Jan Wright, today released her report, Making difficult decisions: Mining the conservation estate, which includes recommendations aimed at ensuring public conservation land remains safe from inappropriate mining development.

“The commissioner’s recommendations would be a significant step towards replacing mining companies’ privileged access to conservation land with a robust and fair process,” Forest & Bird Conservation Advocate Quentin Duthie said.

“During the Schedule 4 debate this year, the Government clearly heard New Zealanders’ passion for conservation, their lack of tolerance for poor mining decisions and their desire that conservation protections should be extended.

“Forest & Bird agrees with the commissioner that the Cabinet’s decision to give the Energy and Resources Minister control over mining access to conservation land is ill-thought-through policy with grave implications for conservation,” he said.

The report recommends that ecological areas – 55 specially protected areas of high ecological value covering 176,000 hectares – should be added to Schedule 4 of the Crown Minerals Act, which lists areas that cannot be mined.

Her recommendation coincides with a submission by Forest & Bird to Parliament last week that argued that ecological areas, national reserves, world heritage areas, and marine mammal sanctuaries also be included in Schedule 4 because mining is incompatible with their protection.

The commissioner’s report highlights that mining currently has preferential treatment compared with other commercial activity on conservation land. In situations where most activities would be declined, mining decisions need only “have regard” for conservation.

“Mining is prince among peasants - a company taking guided walks faces a tougher test than a mine even though the mine’s footprint will be so much greater than trampers’ footprints,” said Duthie.

“The commissioner’s recommendations are important to ensure mining is not permitted in the wrong places under a veil of secrecy and without New Zealanders having their say.”

The commissioner argues that mining applications should face the same test as other commercial activities and that the public should be fully informed about mining operations and applications on conservation land. She also recommends that the public is consulted on access arrangements.

Forest & Bird’s mining submission to Parliament can be found at: http://www.forestandbird.org.nz/files/file/Submission%20to%20Local%20Government%20and%20Environment%20Committee.pdf

ENDS

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