The announcement yesterday was met with widespread dismay on the West Coast, catching many off-guard.
"It's an enormous decision to come out of the blue," Minerals West Coast manager Peter O'Sullivan said this morning, noting there had been no consultation.
It had not been signalled during the coalition agreements, he said.
The announcement was made as part of the Speech from the Throne given at Parliament, which outlined the coalition Government's policy and legislative proposals.
West Coast mayors said they were withholding judgment until they had seen the detail, including the ramifications for the proposed Te Kuha coalmine near Westport. While that would not involve mining conservation land, access across DOC land was required.
Ms Sage said the Government would strengthen the protection for public conservation land by making it off-limits for new mining.
The Green MP and former Forest and Bird staff member said tourism on the West Coast was now responsible for more jobs than the mining sector.
"This Government is committed to helping workers in these regions make a just transition from mining."
Mr O'Sullivan said goldmining currently employed about 175 on the West Coast, domestic coalmining 110 and export coalmining 600.
The mining sector was an "enormous" contributor to the region's economy.
Cheap West Coast coal also fired the boilers at dairy factories and meatworks around the country.
Although the new policy would not affect existing mines, miners were always on the move looking for new land.
"The effect will be felt quickly," he said.
The West Coast mining industry had met high environment standards. When miners worked on conservation land, DOC received payment which had been used for the likes of pest control, but that would now be lost.
Buller Mayor Garry Howard said it was "too early to make rash statements".
"If there is to be no more mining on conservation estate, we've got to get a really good transition," Mr Howard said.
He asked if New Zealand was being two-faced by not wanting any new mines but still wanting steel made by other countries that burned coal.
The the economic action plan released just before the election by the former National government proposed that DOC divest itself of low quality stewardship land.
West Coast Regional Council chairman Andrew Robb said they would work with the new Government the best they could.
"But if the policy starts having an impact on our region I don't think we'll sit back."
While the Government relied on the Greens for support, the coalition was with NZ First, which was pushing economic development in the regions.
"There is some tension in that," he said, of the Greens-NZ First deal.
In a statement late yesterday, Ms Sage said it was crucial to protect the very thing that drew visitors -- beech and rimu forests, river valleys and a network of huts and tracks.
"Coalmining adds to the climate crisis and new mines generally have a 15-year lifespan. Once the coal is gone, the jobs are gone and so is the unique environment of places like the West Coast -- which is the basis of a sustainable economy and long-term jobs,
"Places like the West Coast and Coromandel have diversified their economies on the back of their stunning natural beauty and landscapes, and the warmth of local communities."
The Green Party's confidence and supply agreement with Labour included a goal of significantly increasing the funding for DOC.
"The Department of Conservation has been under-resourced for the last nine years. We need to scale up its capacity," the minister said.
Forest and Bird today claimed a huge victory for nature following the announcement.
"We are delighted that the Government recognises that protected conservation land means just that. It's protected," chief executive Kevin Hague said.
The Government gave a commitment that ecologically rich landscapes such as the Denniston Plateau -- which Forest and Bird has been campaigning to save for nearly a decade -- would be safe from coalmining.
"All coalmining contributes to climate disruption, so we will be continuing to oppose new coalmining in other areas," Mr Hague said.
- Laura Mills
