Submission on the draft Minerals Strategy for New Zealand to 2040

^{Macrae's Mine Otago. Shellie Evans, Flickr.}

The Commissioner has made a submission to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment on the Government’s draft Minerals Strategy for New Zealand to 2040.

In his submission, he warns that the range of environmental costs that accompany extractive industries has been largely overlooked in the strategy. Specifically, he questions how the pro-mining initiatives outlined in the draft strategy will work alongside plans to water down environmental protections as proposed by the Fast-track Approvals Bill and the Resource Management (Freshwater and Other Matters) Amendment Bill.

The submission also discusses:

• the need to translate high level environmental aspirations in the strategy into specific actions,
• whether New Zealand’s existing royalty regime captures a fair share of the value associated with the one-time removal of publicly owned minerals and,
• the risks associated with decommissioning mine sites and associated facilities.