His people have talked to his people and a date has been set for a debate between Dunedin businessman Sir Ian Taylor and Minister of Resources Shane Jones.
Sir Ian suggested a date earlier in the week in the Otago Daily Times and Mr Jones confirmed yesterday he would be in Dunedin for business on April 8 and would take part in the debate at the end of the day.
The debate will centre on the proposed Santana Minerals gold mine in Bendigo.
Mr Jones said he was looking forward to the debate, but it was about a bigger picture than the Santana mine.
‘‘The bottom line is ... Ian is focused on Santana. Obviously, that’s a key feature of a broader narrative and the narrative is that Otago, in many respects, generated its early momentum from the extractive sector.’’
He criticised the trip Sir Ian made to Bendigo, saying he was ‘‘up there snooping around and prowling’’.
‘‘It’s unbefitting for Ian to go up there as some type of Peeping Tom ... sadly he seems to have taken a very slanted view. And he needs to accept that his own firm creates technology that’s used by the mining industry.’’
Mr Jones said he liked a debate, but was not overly keen to be in a studio.
‘‘I mean, there’s an element of theatricality to it. But, of course, I’m going to stand. I’m going to be judged by Kiwi voters on November 7 in relation to my stewardship of this highly sought-after resource base, which is critical minerals, gold, coal.’’
Sir Ian, who is in Florida helping with his company’s work at The Players Championship golf tournament, said he was happy to get a date and was excited about it.
He said Mr Jones had given him the option to decide where the debate would take place and he was happy with having it in a studio.
‘‘I’ve made it clear that from my perspective, I don’t want it turning into a shouting, screaming circus. I want it to be a debate and the debate will happen, just me and him.
‘‘He’s the one who keeps describing it as a boxing ring. So there’s room for two in a boxing ring and a referee. So let’s do that and see where we get.’’
Sir Ian admitted he had not done a lot of debating.
He said it was not a debate totally about mining, but where the country was heading.
