National Park mining claims 'hysterical' - Brownlee
The Government's stocktake of New Zealand's mineral resources includes investigating reserves in three national parks, which means it is considering mining them, the Green Party says.
But Energy and Resources Minister Gerry Brownlee says the Greens are being hysterical and he can't see that happening.
Green's co-leader Metiria Turei said yesterday she had official information which showed the stocktake included oil reserves in Fiordland National Park and gold and coal in Kahurangi and Paparoa parks as well.
Ministers insist the stocktake is no more than that and there is no intention of spoiling pristine parks but Ms Turei said documents she had obtained showed the extent of the stocktake.
"They already know what they want and they're preparing to steal it from the public," she said.
"Far from not wanting to mine in national parks and only being interested in `low value' areas, the officials' advice shows they are keen to mine our most precious parks."
Ms Turei said she had obtained advice from the Ministry of Economic Development and the Department of Conservation under the Official Information Act which showed the parks were in the stocktake.
"Fiordland National Park is our most iconic national park...it is much-loved by tourists and contributed $228 million to New Zealand in 2005," she said.
"The Government's ideology for destructive mining is blinding it to economic facts."
Mr Brownlee told NZPA the stocktake was to find out what was there.
"We just want to have a look at it, we want to know what's going on," he said.
"The Greens are hung up because they asked me whether national parks were included in the stocktake, and I said they were.
"I think New Zealanders have a right to know what's there and what the possibilities are."
He said he was confident New Zealanders would also say the conservation value of national parks was much higher than any potential mineral wealth.
The Greens were "really being hysterical" to claim mining in Fiordland National Park was being considered, Mr Brownlee said.
"I can't see that happening, it's a real stretch of the imagination.
"I didn't know there was oil in Fiordland National Park."
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Comments and questions5
Good on Brownlee for saying it how it is.
We are being held to ransom by a bunch of halfwit greenies, (and I notice a lot of the vocal one aren't even Kiwis), why don't you go home and try your protests in your own country we have enough idiots of our own, who get their information and facts and figures out of thin air.
Well greeneis I've got news for you, if you want to live in some Never Never land, buy yourself an island, and live as primitively as you like, but for heavens sake leave the rest of us to get on with our PRODUCTIVE lives.
Metiria has clearly had some PR advice that attack is the best form of defence. Her own party now caught with their hands in the ministerial allowance cookie jar she has been forced to attempt to divert media and public attention to a REVIEW of mineral wealth. If this amount of hysteria was created around every ministerial review that was announced we would be constantly shaking in our boots!
With Australia enjoying all their minerals exports, NZ should not expore any potential mineral wealth in order to improve NZers standard of living.
Correction, with Australia enjoying all their minerals exports, NZ should expore any potential mineral wealth in order to improve NZers standard of living
With Messrs Locke,Donald and Ms.Anti Smacking Bradford onboard how can they be otherwise. The planet does not need saving but the human race is not so lucky. Within the century explosive population growth will destroy environments world wide and likely civilisation as we know it. On this issue the Greens and similar sandal wearers remain silent.