10. Hon DAVID PARKER (Labour) Link to this
to the Minister of Energy and Resources
How many submissions has the Ministry of Economic Development received so far on the stocktake of schedule 4 of the Crown Minerals Act and how many oppose mining on schedule 4 land?
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE (Minister of Energy and Resources) Link to this
Probably, by now, there are a few more than 35,000. As to how many are in favour of mining as opposed to not opening up schedule 4 to further investigation, I cannot give that answer; I have not asked for that information yet. I have steadfastly said we will do a proper analysis and then when we have done that we will make some decisions.
Has the Minister seen the submission from Newmont Waihi Gold, the largest mining company in the Coromandel, headed “Leave schedule 4 alone”; and can he now confirm that the Government will not remove any Coromandel land from schedule 4 protection?
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE Link to this
I have not had the opportunity to consider in full the submission from Newmont Waihi Gold, but I have asked my office for a brief analysis of it. It appears that the mining company is asking the same as the Government: to take a little more time over the decision. We say we want New Zealanders to express a view. We will listen to New Zealanders and not mining companies. That company, I point out, is the only one that has a prospecting licence over that area at the moment. I assume the company would relinquish it.
To clarify, is the Government going to ignore the 35,000 submissions opposed to mining in national parks, or is he going to back down?
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE Link to this
I can assure members that a good number of those 35,000 submissions have been delivered to my office, so it has been impossible to ignore them.
If 35,000 submissions and 40,000 marchers opposed to mining in national parks are not enough, how many would be?
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE Link to this
I am not sure. Tens of thousands of people marched on Parliament to protest against Labour’s foreshore and seabed legislation, but Labour did not listen to them.
Where will this end, given that his plan started with 467,000 hectares, then it was 7,000 hectares, and now it has been leaked to the media today that it is 3,500 hectares, and why does he not just acknowledge that national parks are too precious to mine?
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE Link to this
The very interesting thing is that the only proposal for any activity in national parks is in Paparoa, which the member now accuses us of leaking to the media. I think that, like everybody else, he should just wait and see.
What other failed plans does he intend to pursue to create his economic step change when the cycleway did not do it, the Job Summit did not do it, the Budget did not do it, and his plan to mine national parks just will not fly?
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE Link to this
I have to ask what universe the member is living in. What planet is he walking on? If he had listened to even a little bit of the Budget last week he would have got a slight sense that this Government has a very good grip on what is required for the New Zealand economy. If he wants any further proof, he should look at the latest polling, which indicates that New Zealanders saw that Budget as being a clear blueprint from this Government for a better future.
I seek leave to table the submission from Newmont Waihi Gold titled “Leave schedule 4 alone says mining company”.
Mr SPEAKER