by Catherine Delahunty
I never knew what Nightcaps was. Now I know it is a town 45 minutes drive from Invercargill with a coal mining history and some very current problems. Nightcaps have had coal mining since the late 1880s and have experienced tragedy as well as identity through coal mining. Now the community lives with an expanded coal mine which is impacting on residents and they want justice.
Yesterday I spoke to Alana Barrett who has moved out of Nightcaps because she and her daughter both tested high for lead levels. But she mentioned the open cast mine dust contained more heavy metals such as arsenic and boron and that aluminium has been found in the local waterway. So the underground mine turned into an open cast mine right next to the town and the Takitimu mine itself went from producing 13,000 tonnes of coal to producing 170,000 tonnes of coal per year in the last three years. The mine is elevated above the town on District Council land (which makes the consent issues quite interesting) and smoke and dust are ongoing problems.
The company Eastern Corporation of Australia claim to have spent money on sprinklers but the Nightcaps residents are not happy. Contrast this with Gerry Brownlee’s modern and surgical mining claims. The plan is to develop the Southland lignite mines. This is low grade coal and whether they make it into urea or sell it to pollute other countries, none of it helps our tally of greenhouse gas emissions. And we should be listening to the Nightcaps community when they tell us that coal mining is dirty and is making people sick. On Saturday the Green Party will be supporting the anti mining march in Invercargill because we want to hear from all the Southland communities.
Published in Environment & Resource Management by Catherine Delahunty on Thu, June 24th, 2010
More posts by Catherine Delahunty | more about Catherine Delahunty
on the trolls and those who are unable to keep on topic
Loading...
I’m there often enough Catherine (Nightcaps that is) and will ask around.
Met Phil Goff today in Invercargill. He needs to visit Nightcaps and Mataura, so that he knows where they are and what’s ahead for those towns, Mataura in particular. Can’t help but think many politicians don’t know much about the South. March on Saturday – I was out on the street today, passing out leaflets on the anti-national-park-mining plans and the good folk of Invergiggle (blush) were very interested, had already heard about it and were very supportive. Most noticably, the shopping public were so polite and thankful for the leaflet I gave them!
Astonishing! Nice. One ex-Aussie miner said he’d be there because, although he saw nothing wrong with mining, the thought of doing it in NZ national parks infuriated him!
Good day. Talked to Goff about Farmageddon as well. Now he knows!
Like or Dislike:
7 
5 (+2)
I had the same experience handing out leaflets, people listening politely and thanking me for them. A superb front page article about the march in our Southland Express too.
We have had a lot of support from local journalists and one even suggested a good slogan for a placard in the middle of an interview “Eeny meany mining no!”
Robert’s huge lump of coal (he has manufactured) must be our most impressive prop, accompanied by the placard “leave it in the Ground!”
Like or Dislike:
5 
5 (0)
Good luck for tomorrow. Kevin Hague will be there to support you and I want to agree that Murihiku/Southland is a great place under threat and needs more recognition. I hope its not snowing on the march but sounds like spirits are strong! Best wishes from the Coromandel, we know what facing down mining is like but not in freezing weather!
Like or Dislike:
6 
6 (0)
Thanks Catherine, heavy frosts but clear days predicted for a while, fingers crossed. We have appreciated the support that has come to us from all over the country.
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=135254386488185&ref=mf
Like or Dislike:
5 
4 (+1)
ah…we call him “The Sterling Kevin Hague” round heah…
Like or Dislike:
0 
0 (0)
My wonderful parents-in-law and husband are ex coal miners from Ohai (about 10km from Nightcaps). The town is now derelict, with huge social issues, collapsing houses, no shops and no money since they closed the mines. My in-laws have said that almost every person their age who lived and worked in Ohai have died from cancer, many in their 50′s and 60′s. They were aggressive forms of cancer, and my in laws are very grateful to still be alive. There is surely a link between those high rates of cancer deaths and the lead etc dusting and leaching up their surroundings. Thank you for your support of tomorrow’s march Catherine, I’m very proud of our community and especially ‘sprout’, who has dedicated a huge amount of time and resources to pulling it off!!!
Mistress R (aka Rachael)
Like or Dislike:
4 
9 (-5)
I get most of my coal from Nightcaps and I know Alanna Barrett, but this is the first I’ve heard of the cancer issue. All we read in the local publications is how many jobs are at stake there.
Like or Dislike:
5 
3 (+2)
Hey Pete, how’re things on the coast? We’ve had some unexpectedly heavy frosts here over the past couple of days. Partial eclipse of the moon tonight too – 11 o’clock – don’t miss it! Clear skies, how lucky we are!
The Invercargill march against mining was a great event. A very strong showing of people from across the board (as they say). Kevin Hague led the charge along with the Labour MP and Bonnie Soper of Shortland Street fame. The three of them spoke to the crowd at the finish of the march and so did I. Great response from the normally modest Southlanders. The Unite crew were noisy though! Zookeepers afterwards for coffee and talk, of which there was plenty. Dave Kennedy did himself proud with the organising and will be sleeping deeply tonight. 25 people from Riverton. Good effort too.
If you’ve a care, I’ll post my speech on my blog (click my name to fly straight there
Like or Dislike:
4 
3 (+1)
An excellent speech to end with, Robert, and an impressive lump of coal-it had me worried!
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=31178152&id=1536526420
Like or Dislike:
2 
3 (-1)
Thanks sprout – are you watching the eclipse of the moon? It’s on right now!
Like or Dislike:
1 
1 (0)
Like or Dislike:
6 
0 (+6)
Demand Kiwirail charge a commercial rate of return on the Ngakawau railway branch line.
It would close immediately, and it has been made clear by the mining companies that without the railway, most of the mines would be uneconomic.
Of course a whole heap of jobs would go, and there would be a couple of ghost towns, but I am guessing that the Green hatred of mining runs deeper than the love of railway lines and employment in small towns.
Like or Dislike:
6 
2 (+4)
Like or Dislike:
10 
2 (+8)