News media
Maori hit at mining survey
Northern Advocate, 29 July, 2010A Northland Maori leader says anyone attempting exploratory mining or surveying without the iwi's permission will be treated as trespassers.
Mixed Mining Messages
Celcias.com, 23 July, 2010While the government may have said good-bye to its plans to mine 7000 hectares of conservation land in Great Barrier Island, Coromandel and Paparoa National Park, some say the government still hasn’t got it right.
Joint sign-off on DoC land worries green groups
NZ Herald, 22 July, 2010New Zealand's most precious land is safe for now, but environmental groups worry that the Energy Minister could soon get a firmer grip on the conservation estate.
More land may be dug up, despite backdown
TVNZ, 21 July, 2010More of New Zealand's conservation land will be explored for mining, despite a major backdown aimed at protecting New Zealand's most pristine areas.
Even though the high value Coromandel, Great Barrier Island and Paparoa Park are off the menu for mining, there are several other areas that could soon be on it.
The government is investing $4.5 million to fund aero-magnetic surveys in Northland, the West Coast and other parts of the South Island, land which it describes as 'low value'.
Plans for mineral belt disappoint
Nelson Mail, 21 July, 2010Government plans to further explore the mineral belt around Nelson are disappointing, Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society of New Zealand advocacy manager Kevin Hackwell says. "We don't think the public should be doing the job for these huge mining companies with massive resources," he said.
Te Anau reserve protected
Southland Times, 21 July, 2010Southland has gained a pocket of protected land as part of the Government's decision to scrap plans to mine conservation land.
Kiwis thanked for mining backdown
TVNZ, 21 July, 2010One of the world's most famous conservation groups is thanking the New Zealand public for forcing the government's backdown on plans to mine areas of conservation land.
Heritage site at risk of mining
Dominion Post, 21 July, 2010Pristine areas, including a world heritage site, could still be opened to mining despite a massive Government backdown on prospecting in national parks, environmental groups say.
NZ Public Pressure Forces an About Face on Mining
Celcias.com, 21 July, 2010Plans by New Zealand Government to mine land with a conservation status have been halted, thanks largely to the massive public outcry generated up and down the country.
N.Z. Drops Mining Plans Amid Public Pressure
RTT News, 20 July, 2010New Zealand's government has given in to public pressure to scrap a proposal that would have allowed mining in some of the country's most sensitive landscapes.
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Tales from Tawa: People Power
Open Writing, 25 July, 2010Eve-Marie Wilson takes her country's Government to task for plans to allow the desecration of natural beauty.
Petition of Quentin Duthie
Forest & Bird, 21 July, 2010Half The Coromandel Still Saved From Mining -- Time To Save The Other Half
Coromandel Watchdog, 21 July, 2010The northern half of Coromandel conservation land will remain in Schedule 4 and will continue to be protected from mining -- "That's great", says Coromandel Watchdog spokesperson Denis Tegg. "But if the government is truly listening to public opinion they will have heard that the public wants all pristine conservation land protected from mining, and that must include conservation land in southern part of the Peninsula." said Mr. Tegg
Schedule 4: So what do the Nats stand for now?
Pundit, 21 July, 2010The government says it's backdown on mining is evidence that it listens. But the question left is whether there's any policy Key and Co. will fight to the death for? And where's that step change coming from now?
The Save Happy Valley Coalition Calls For National Park Status For Alpine Wetland
Save Happy Valley, 21 July, 2010The Save Happy Valley Coalition offers support for the National Government's decision to scrap plans to mine NZ national parks under schedule 4, though continues to urge policy makers not to mine valuable biodiversity hotspots that lack state protection as National Parks, such as Happy Valley, near Westport in the South Island.
Victory for the conservation of NZ frogs!
EDGE Blog, 21 July, 2010In fantastic news for nature conservation, the New Zealand Government announced today it has abandoned plans to mine 7000 hectares of land protected under Schedule 4 of the Crown Minerals Act, including strongholds of two top priority EDGE Amphibians.
WWF: Mining Proposal "Should Never Have Been Table"
WWF, 20 July, 2010WWF-New Zealand has welcomed the Government's decision to withdraw plans for mineral prospecting in national parks, but stated the proposal should never have been on the table in the first place.
Government decision on Schedule Four Welcomed But Conservation Areas still at risk
ECO, 20 July, 2010The Government decision not to take areas from Schedule Four is welcome, but the Government decision to give the Minister of Energy and Resources effective control over mining access to conservation land was a major step backwards, the Environment and Conservation Organisations (ECO) said today.
Greenpeace welcomes u-turn on mining as opportunity for Key to set new economic course
Greenpeace, 20 July, 2010Greenpeace today welcomed the Government's about-face on Energy and Resources Minister Gerry Brownlee's plans to allow the mining of this country's most precious Schedule 4 protected public conservation lands. And Greenpeace congratulates the huge number of New Zealanders who showed their opposition to the proposals, with over 30,000 submissions against the government's plans, and over 40,000 people marching in Auckland on May 1.
A big win for people power
Greenpeace, 20 July, 2010Today the Government announced a complete u-turn on plans to mine New Zealand’s best conservation land. There will be no mining in Schedule 4 land or any national parks now or in the future!
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