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Call on the Minister for Conservation, Willow-Jean Prime, to honour the Government’s promise and protect Papatūānuku by backing Eugenie Sage’s No New Mines Members’ Bill to stop new mines on conservation land once and for all.
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The Labour Government promised in 2017 that there would be no new mines on conservation land, yet more minerals permits have been granted, including to Mineralogy International Limited – directed by Australian billionaire Clive Palmer. The permits allow the company to prospect and explore for minerals in some of our most precious conservation land in Tai Tokerau Northland[1] and over thousands of hectares of Te Tai Poutini the West Coast.

Puketī Forest is one of Aotearoa’s only surviving mature kauri forests, home to precious native birds and other wildlife[2]. Local hapū have been fighting for decades to protect the forest and water sources of Whakarara maunga. 

Kōtuku Moana Lake Brunner, the largest lake on the West Coast, is largely surrounded by native forests. Kahikatea, rimu and totara forests extend to the lake edge in an area popular with locals and visitors for tramping, walking, kayaking, fishing and simply enjoying the stunning landscapes.

Clive Palmer is a mining billionaire and Australia’s fifth richest person.[3] Mining is inherently invasive and can be incredibly harmful to ecosystems. It can leave local communities to deal with environmental harm and the aftermath of a boom and bust economic cycle.

Sign our petition calling on Minister for Conservation, Willow-Jean Prime to honour the Government’s promise and protect Papatūānuku by supporting Eugenie Sage’s Members’ Bill to stop new mines on conservation land once and for all.

The purpose of conservation land is to protect our wild and wonderful natural places and all the amazing native plants and creatures that call them home.

 

1 Northern Advocate (14 April 2023), Whangaroa hapū, Forest & Bird call for mining ban on conservation land

2 Department of Conservation, Puketi and Omahuta Forests

3 The Australian, Richest 250; mineralogy.com

Photo: Kauri tree in Puketī Forest by Sheila Thomson (CC BY 2.0)