Helen Clark message

The following is a video message from Rt Hon Helen Clark, former Prime Minister of New Zealand and UNDP Administrator, about the fast-track mine proposed by Santana Minerals in Central Otago. She sent this to us between engagements on a trip in Europe.

Full transcript below …

All of us are aware of the number of foreign mining companies who’ve been invited to seek mining, exploration and prospecting permits, and they’ve made their intentions very clear.

One CEO recently dubbed Otago, quote: “the new West Africa of the mining world”. This is simply horrifying. That region of the world, like many, struggles to put in place regulatory regimes which protect people and their environments from destructive mining.

Now, Bendigo and other pristine areas of New Zealand are the focus of such mining attention, with the Fast Track proposal locally for the Australian company, Santana Minerals.

Fast Track is an abomination with scant regard for the planning considerations which a country like ours would normally insist on. It minimises consideration of environmental impacts. It sidelines the concerns of mana whenua and all who dwell in local communities. It places significant and entirely inappropriate pressure of urgency on all concerned. Fast Track by design reduces our collective ability to make good decisions for our future.

There is no shortage of experts in the field of public law and science who point out how its high urgency approach prioritises short-term economic gain, which overlooks the true costs, monetary, environmental and social – costs our country would bear in the longer term.

This is no way for us to be good guardians of the country in which we live. Nor is it showing any form of respect or consideration for those who will follow us: our whanau, our children, our grandchildren, our future communities. As I travel, I’m reminded of how special our country is with its majestic and powerful landscapes and unique biodiversity.

The 100% Pure New Zealand campaign was always both clever marketing and a reflection of how the world sees us. But processes like Fast Track for destructive mining in pristine landscapes stands to wreck that reputation further. Sadly, my travel also highlights what it looks like when things go wrong, such as when tailings dams fail.

Hasty decisions will lead to ignoring entirely possible consequences. The result is that environments and communities suffer irreparable damage. We must not let Fast Track do this to our country.

I am deeply concerned about what I’m seeing and hearing from Central Otago about the Fast Track Bendigo Ophir mine and the likelihood of even more mines following it. So I urge all who share these concerns to make your voice heard, speak up, support those who are asking for proper consideration to be given to future planning, the environment, communities and iwi.

Let your elected representatives in parliament and on regional and local councils know how you feel. Talk to your family, friends, colleagues, networks, contribute to the fighting funds if you can.

Let us all help shape the future of the country we love with proper care and attention. We are its guardians.