Hyperbole a dig against mining’s ‘doubting Thomases’

Taxes paid by mining companies proposing to operate in Central Otago will play a crucial part in funding services in the South, Minister of Resources Shane Jones says.

Mr Jones — this week’s guest on the www.odt.co.nz video feature Election 2026 — said that ‘‘the most expensive hospital in Western civilisation’’ was being built in Dunedin, and that it had to be paid for.

‘‘I get very cross with those of you who are doubting Thomases about the mining sector, which is going to generate a return that contributes to the tax base, which does contribute to meeting the cost of that hospital. Why you Otago doubting Thomases and Jeremiahs don’t see that connection is a mystery to me,’’ he said.

Mr Jones has been a vocal proponent of mining, and in particular Santana Minerals’ proposal to mine in the Bendigo-Ophir area. That project is now being considered under fast-track legislation by an independent panel.

In recent months he has traded barbs with the likes of Sir Ian Taylor and Sir Sam Neill, both vocal opponents of the mine proposal.

Mr Jones said that the Santana proposal, if approved, would mean the continuation of Otago’s long history of mining.

‘‘That part of New Zealand has already been picked over in relation to mining. The landscape is pregnant with subsurface gold-riddled ore. The jobs will be huge, the earnings expensive, the impact minuscule and from the road or the passers-by, they’ll see no impact,’’ Mr Jones said.

‘‘Yes, there will be a bunch of changes, but they themselves, with their vineyards, with the netting, with the sprays, with the tanalised posts, perhaps in a different way, they’ve already impacted on the landscape.

‘‘Please don’t pull up the economic ladder as you sit there sipping on your chardonnay tut-tutting about the bulldozers and the scrapers. Give the other New Zealanders a go as well.’’

However, Mr Jones said that the proposed mine would need to meet all regulatory and safety standards already in place to govern such activity.

‘‘Providing the scientists and the engineers can demonstrate to the satisfaction of the panel that they are able to cope, mitigate and manage perceived negative externalities then let the project go ahead,’’ he said.

‘‘But I accept that the project, not only this one, any other project, should not go ahead on the basis of political puffery. It should only go ahead on the basis that the statutory criteria, the statutory threshold has been met. After all, in legislation statutory tests exist to provide a level of confidence within society.

‘‘But statutory tests should not be weaponised, intimidated or manipulated just to suit the agenda of the rowdiest or most aristocratic of voices.’’

mike.houlahan@odt.co.nz