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The Green Party is vowing to "stop the bulldozers" and
environmental groups are outraged over the Government's
decision to allow mining on conservation land.
Prime Minister John Key told Parliament yesterday that
removing protection from some areas was being considered,
although there would be a public consultation process.
He said he expected there would be "significant changes" to
schedule four of the Crown Minerals Act, which protects
designated areas from mining.
"This is because new mining on Crown land has the potential
to increase economic growth and create jobs," he said.
Schedule four of the Crown Minerals Act protects designated
areas from mining. A stocktake of valuable minerals in land
covered by the schedule was undertaken last year and the
untapped value has been put at about $140 billion.
Mr Key said there would be a new Conservation Fund
established, which would receive some of the revenue from
mining operations.
It would be used to fund conservation projects.
Green Party co-leader Russel Norman said there would be a
groundswell of opposition to mining conservation land and the
Greens would be there to fight any attempts to do it.
The party's other co-leader, Metiria Turei, told NZPA it was
a terrible decision.
"He's going to cause enormous damage to our tourism industry,
he's going to radically affect our biodiversity values in
this country which are already at serious risk," she said.
"He's going to try to sell off the conservation land to
international mining interests and expect that the country
will be satisfied with a small conservation fund."
Greenpeace said the Government could face serious problems.
"If National opens more conservation land for mining, and
particularly national parks, it is highly likely to face
civil disobedience of the sort that saved West Coast forests
and Lake Manapouri," said Greenpeace's political adviser
Geoff Keey.
"This issue is something New Zealanders feel very strongly
about. The Government holds our national parks in trust for
all New Zealanders."
Mr Key also predicted an international backlash that would
affect tourism.
"This announcement will come as a huge disappointment to
anyone who has travelled here from overseas and enjoyed our
land and scenery," he said.
