State-owned Solid Energy’s latest industrial spat follows a pattern of dispute between its workers and major contractors.

This afternoon, negotiations reached an impasse at the Rotowaro mine near Huntly, where the latest action started.

Solid Energy has finally received a big tick for its environmental management at Stockton Mine.

Concerns were first raised in 1988, when the first parliamentary commissioner for the environment Helen Hughes was concerned about the transferral of coal mining licences to Coal Corporation – a new state-owned enterprise, now Solid Energy.

An investigation was recommended in 2006 over concerns including acid mine drainage.

Some of New Zealand’s conservation estate may be inadequately protected from mining activities and needs to be reviewed, says parliamentary commissioner for the environment Dr Jan Wright.

In a report on the environmental management of the Stockton Mine, released today, Dr Wright said Stockton, Solid Energy’s strip mine, was one of more than 100 operating under licenses granted before the Crown Minerals and Resource Management Acts.

From 111 mining licences under the old regime at least 55 include DOC land, which may be inadequately protected, she said.