As you have probably heard the government is planning a stock take of the minerals in the Schedule 4 lands, which are NZ's most prized and recognized natural areas, including our national parks.If you have not heared about this or want more info read the November FMC Bulletin or visit www.2precious2mine.org.nz. I am not sure if you guys have written a formal club submission on this or not.Here is a blue print of the letter Jack and I wrote, feel free to use it for your own submission. As Ollie Clifton (NZAC secretary) said, one day your grandchildren will thank you. Bellow are the addresses to send copies to.

To whom it may concern,

We are appalled at Hon Gerry Brownlee’s recent announcement that he is planning to undertake a stock-take of minerals in the Schedule 4 lands. Schedule 4 lands are the most highly prized and internationally recognized natural areas in New Zealand. They are so beautiful, unique and/or scientifically important that their preservation is in the national interest. The core value of the National Parks act is that ‘They shall be preserved as far as possible in their natural state’. Mining would be a direct crime against this Act. Not only should Schedule 4 lands be off limits to mining, but so should other public conservation lands. The idea of even thinking about mining them goes  against the whole point of setting them aside as pristine areas for enjoyment and scientific research for today and future generations.

Schedule 4 was created specifically to give New Zealand’s special natural places extra protection. It says in Section 61: ‘The Minister of Conservation must not accept any application for an access arrangement or enter into any access arrangement relating to any Crown owned mineral in any Crown owned land... described in Schedule 4’. It should stay this way.

Just because some areas within Schedule 4 are known to host significant amounts of natural resources such as zinc, lead, copper, nickel, tin and tungsten is not a good reason to remove the areas from Schedule 4 so that they can be mined. Mining only gives a short term financial benefit, while pristine wilderness will continue to bring financial benefit to this country for eternity. Tourism is this countries largest earner, and is based on a ‘clean green’ image and the ‘100% pure’ brand, which is recognised internationally. To mine within our most unique and pristine natural areas would severely tarnish this image.

Hon John Key’s comment that if mining occurred within Schedule 4 areas it would be ‘surgical incisions’ is not convincing. Even if the mines themselves were ‘surgical incisions’, roads would still have to be cut though the land and tailings and toxic residues dealt with. Mining is a messy business and does not belong in our natural and wilderness areas.

As Hon Tim Groser pointed out at the Federated Mountain Club AGM, our public conservation lands need to be able to be enjoyed by those in our countries larger population centres. The Coromandel, one of New Zealand’s Schedule 4 lands, forms some of the most accessible and popular wild areas for Aucklanders. To mine in this area would severely reduce its ability to be an outdoor recreation playground for Aucklanders.
It is important that the Minister of Conservation, Hon Tim Groser, alone is responsible for making decisions on access to Conservation Lands and that the Minister of Energy, Hon Gerry Brownlee, has no involvement.

New Zealand is one of the few countries that allow mining in national parks. This has brought about criticism from bodies such as the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and has tarnished our reputation for national park management. Mining in our Schedule 4 lands would bring about severe criticism and our image for having good national park management would be destroyed. We urgently need complete protection from mining for our public conservation lands, especially our Schedule 4 lands. The United States of America, Canada and Australia all ban mining in their national parks. It is about time we followed suit.

As avid outdoor enthusiasts (climbing, mountaineering, and white water kayaking) we have an intimate connection to New Zealand’s wild areas. We believe strongly that they should be protected, in accordance with the National Park Act ‘in perpetuity for their intrinsic worth and benefit, use and enjoyment to the public’. For the sake of this country and future generations do not review the Schedule 4 lands on the basis of their mineral economic value. We strongly encourage you to bring about legislation that will protect our conservation areas from mining for perpetuity.



Sincerely,

Send to:

Schedule 4 Stocktake

Ministry of Economic Development

PO Box 1473

Wellington 6140

and

Hon Gerry Brownlee

Minister of Energy

Parliament Building

Wellington

and

Hon Tim Groser

Minister of Conservation

Parliament Building

Wellington