mining Archive

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  Metiria grills the PM on mining contradictions - by frog

  
  
  
  Metiria Turei grills the Prime Minister on his government’s confused and contradictory statements about the mining of protected Schedule 4 lands on the conservation estate. Her question was: Does he stand by his statement “Notwithstanding the public consultation process, it is my expectation that the Government will act on at least some of these recommendations [...] read more
  March 18, 2010 1:56 pm - 4 Comments
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  Not Our Heritage to Mine Karangahake - by Catherine Delahunty

  
  
  
  On Friday last I hosted a meeting about the effects of mining at the Karangahake Hall near Paeroa. The hall is close to a major historical and recreational area including many artefacts and remnants from the early gold mining days. It is also close to the newest gold mining permit issued for the Coromandel area. [...] read more
  February 23, 2010 2:44 pm - 12 Comments
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  The Hauraki/Coromandel – love it or lose It - by Catherine Delahunty

  
  
  
  In the first two weeks of the holidays it felt like most of the population of Auckland crossed the Kopu Bridge to bask in the stunning sunlight at the Coromandel beaches. I spent some hours over several days standing at the traffic lights on the Kopu Bridge handing out leaflets about the gold mining threat [...] read more
  January 12, 2010 2:07 pm - 62 Comments
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  Global concern at Nats’ plan to mine national parks - by frog

  
  
  
  Scrutiny of Government plans to mine our conservation lands is deepening internationally. And it’s got people hot on Facebook too. The Sunday Star Times ran a powerful feature on the weekend called “Picture imperfect”. It looks at international concern at New Zealand’s environmental performance, including National’s plan to mine conservation land: IT’S JUST a stock-take [...] read more
  December 7, 2009 8:30 pm - 10 Comments
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  Podcast: Mining our Sacred Places - by frog

  
  
  
  The National Government are poised to do the unthinkable — open up our most treasured places, our national parks and reserves — to mining. Can they be serious? Didn’t we have this fight 100 years ago? Do New Zealanders really believe that no place is sacred if there’s a goldmine or a coalmine sitting underneath [...] read more
  November 10, 2009 9:28 am - 5 Comments
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  How would you like one of these in Doubtful Sound? - by frog

  
  
  
  This oil rig has been spewing oil into the sea for eight weeks. Eight! At 400 barrels per day! The company at the centre of the oil spill, PTTEP Australasia, will have its third attempt at intercepting and plugging the leak tomorrow. Good luck guys! Look out for whatever’s causing that big plume of smoke! [...] read more
  October 21, 2009 5:22 pm - 4 Comments
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  PM limp on mining’s pollution - by frog

  
  
  
  Russel Norman just threw the Prime Minister some curve-balls in QuestionTime. It turns out that the Government “model modern miners” get fined for pollution regularly! The PM thinks that is proof the “system is working”. Sounds to me like it is proof that mining is not a good idea in our conservation lands, and certainly not “surgical”! read more
  October 13, 2009 3:33 pm - 6 Comments
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  Mining Milford Sound? - by frog

  
  
  
  “Will he rule out of the review of Schedule 4 of the Crown Minerals Act any consideration of mining potential in Milford Sound; if not, why not?” National Parks, openness, ‘hysteria’ and cartoons. read more
  October 8, 2009 10:36 am - 12 Comments
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  Minister Smith please stand up - by frog

  
  
  
  Nick has been surprisingly silent on the decision of Ministers Brownlee and Groser to do a stock-take of our premiere conservation land for its mining potential. Was he consulted? We know he was given a copy of Brownlee’s speech prior, but did he read it? Does he support it? What’s up, Nick? read more
  October 4, 2009 9:11 am - 22 Comments
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  Frog Week with Gerry and Tim - by frog

  
  
  
  It’s frog week! My favourite week of the year. But this one comes under a large grey cloud. My local native frog rellies have not been faring well for a while. They’re threatened by all sorts already. But now they have a new predator – Gerry with his sidekick Tim. All New Zealand’s native frog species are now threatened by mining. read more
  September 29, 2009 6:02 am - 3 Comments
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  Undermining our most generous gifts - by frog

  
  
  
  On 23 September 1887 – 122 years ago yesterday – Te Heuheu Tukino of Tuwharetoa gifted the mountains of Tongariro, Ngaruhoe and Ruapehu to the people of Aotearoa…. This anniversary was sullied by the fact that the Crown is now considering the Park’s mining potential. read more
  September 24, 2009 2:30 pm - 12 Comments
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  Parliament mined, fossils detected - by frog

  
  
  
  I glanced out my window this afternoon and was alarmed to see Parliament lawn swarming with menacing figures dressed in white suits and armed with metal detectors, seemingly prospecting one of New Zealand’s finest heritage sites for minerals. read more
  September 16, 2009 4:13 pm - 18 Comments
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  Gerry The Dinosaur - by Catherine Delahunty

  
  
  
  Once upon a time there was a large hungry dinosaur called Gerry who loved eating rocks more than anything else.   He lived near a beautiful forest but he had never been allowed to enter and eat the rocks and pull out the trees. He had been told he couldn’t tramp through the clear shining rivers [...] read more
  September 2, 2009 10:44 am - 91 Comments
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  Gold mining – it’s the pits - by Catherine Delahunty

  
  
  
  Last Monday Jeanette and I were invited to a forum on mining in Waihi. Part of the event was a tour of the open cast pit (formerly Martha Hill) and the Favona underground mine, and the tailing dam (formerly the Golden Valley). Even though I was an objector at the first hearings to oppose that [...] read more
  August 10, 2009 11:45 am - 8 Comments
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  Solid Energy trumpets its environmental performance - by frog

  
  
  
  Yesterday Solid Energy was complaining that snails and associated protests had cost it millions of dollars. Today it is celebrating it’s greenness by talking about the snails it is saving and how it’s carbon emissions were less that its offsets last year (probably thanks in part to protests by the Save Happy Valley crew which [...] read more
  March 27, 2008 4:19 pm - 6 Comments
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  Celebrating a loss - by frog

  
  
  
  Solid Energy is in the news blaming protesters for its loss of $2.7 million dollars for the year. If only. Actually a lot of that loss came from costs associated with its legal requirement to move the threatened Powelliphanta Augustus snail. Remember that the Department of Conservation’s original recommendation to the Minister was that the [...] read more
  March 26, 2008 1:37 pm - 14 Comments