August 24, 2017

Karangahake community take back conservation land to stop mining

Karangahake locals are putting their bodies on the line to stop mining in its tracks on conservation land in the Karangahake Gorge this morning.

This follows several months of mineral exploration carried out by New Talisman Gold, resulting in the shutdown of DOC land to locals and the public.

More than twenty members of the community are blocking a road up to a mine prospecting site, which is currently being developed for large-scale gold extraction by mining company New Talisman Gold.

Karangahake resident Beccy Dove says the community has had enough of being “locked out” of public land.

“Why should the mining industry have priority of access to the DoC estate?”

Occupying the road and risking arrest is a last resort for her and others, yet the community feels it has no choice, she says.

“We are here because this government has no mandate to be handing over conservation land to the mining industry."

“More than 40,000 people marched up Queen Street in 2010 to tell this government that they want conservation land on the Coromandel and elsewhere protected and tens of thousands more sent submissions and signed petitions," Dove says.

“We have been ignored - we have to put our bodies on the line because this government refuses to listen to our voices.”

Earlier this week Dove says her and friends took photos of the mining site, which is only licenced for prospecting, and were shocked at what they saw.

“New Talisman are creating a mess behind this fence, and they refuse to open this DOC gate 50 metres from their site, despite having built a second gate and full perimeter fencing which more than fulfils the health and safety requirements; the truth is they are keeping it locked so they can conduct this operation out of the public eye - they are very aware how unpopular this mining operation on DoC land is.”

“We are not going away, and we will continue to send a strong message to this government, New Talisman, and this council that we will not stand for this - it’s not good enough.”

The community is hosting a rally and concert on September 2nd to gain wider support for protecting the mountain.

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