An environmental lobby group says there is no point in the
Government opening parts of Great Barrier Island to mining,
because it would contravene the district plan.
"Mining on Great Barrier Island -- and in fact on all of the
islands of the (Hauraki) Gulf -- is a prohibited activity in
Auckland City Council's district plan," Environmental Defence
Society (EDS) chairman Gary Taylor said.
"A mining company is not able to apply for resource consents
to mine."
Prime Minister John Key has said a review of a ban on mining
"schedule 4 land" held within the conservation estate was
widened last month.
Energy Minister Gerry Brownlee has said such land -- the
highest-value third of the land in the conservation estate --
could contain minerals worth $140 billion, and Forest and
Bird has said 7000ha of land will be opened up to mining,
including parts of Great Barrier Island.
But EDS said last night that to gain a resource consent, a
company wanting to re-start silver mining on the island would
have to introduce a private plan change, which would meet
considerable opposition from thousands of Aucklanders.
Prospecting was not prohibited, but a mining company was not
likely to invest in that if the RMA hurdles remained, said Mr
Taylor.
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