I agree with the Greens on this new Environmental Protection Agency when they say that there is a lack of environmental advocates on the Board. Anake is there but one or two voices will not stop the rest. And the other members of the board include "former managing director of road building giant Fulton Hogan David Faulkner, former Wellington mayor Kerry Prendergast and former Security Intelligence Service chief executive Richard Woods." as well as Anake Goodall, Tim Lusk, Graham Pinnell, Taria Tahana and Gillian Wratt.
NZH (Adam Bennett)
Greens co-leader Dr Norman said the legislation which allowed for the establishment of the authority "had nothing in there" about environmental protection. "It's mainly being used to fast track roading projects... now it's going to have the job of fast tracking deep sea mining."
"You haven't got a bunch of environmental specialists there, it's been set up to enable short term economic development under the pretence of environmental protection. It is a totally dishonest process."
The EPA will have big responsibilities.
The legislation will make the newly established Environmental Protection Authority responsible for issuing consents, monitoring and enforcement of activities within the EEZ which lies from 12km to 200km offshore and the Extended Continental Shelf, which lies beyond that. The EPA begins full operation next month and will process resource consent applications for nationally significant projects such as oil rigs and power stations.
The usual suspects pipe up
Petroleum Exploration and Production Association executive officer John Pfahlert told Morning Report that the proposed rules are similar to those imposed by other countries. He says tighter controls mean more costs for companies and a higher end price for oil and gas at the pump.
Yes higher prices so that the companies can manitain their profit - that is why they are fake concerns - the companies still make their profit and extra costs are loaded onto the pumps.
Greywolf are gone but they are just the expendable bunny sent to test the defences. Where the defences are strong the opponents begin to weaken them. Where the defences are weak, the opponents build up their forces and lines. We are strong in people power but we are vulnerable to multiple attacks and that is what they will exploit - human wave tactics - lots of applications, lots of resources they want, lots of areas all around our country. They will try to splinter opposition to their plans, they will try to alienate maori and environmentalists and communities. They will try to discredit and mock. They will cry false tears on marae and they go back and work out how to use that to their advantage. Make no mistake this is a serious game and they play seriously.
Victory! Greywolf have heard the public outcry and have ditched their exploitation plans for Golden Bay. This is great news
Stuff
"It is pointless Greywolf putting millions of dollars into the area to find out what is there, if the public are so opposed to it."
But before we all jump up and down too much
"If the company is to reconsider exploration in this area, the New Zealand Government will need to get the people of New Zealand to agree to exploration."
Greywolf's applications were clumsy but they are only the beginning. We will have to fight these exploiters for a while yet and the next application from a mining company will have considered the fate of greywolf.
Yes we celebrate today and walk along the beautiful beaches of Mohua but tomorrow we again set the watch.
The company that wants to exploit our beautiful Golden Bay is proving elusive. There are some very strange goings on indeed. Greywolf is a sham.
Nelson Mail
Checks by the Nelson Mail and TV3 have raised numerous questions about the company and its chairman, Edward Lancaster. Former Golden Bay community board chairman Joe Bell, who will chair a public meeting next week on Greywolf's application to explore parts of the region for oil, gas and coal, is trying, so far unsuccessfully, to make contact with the Chinese company named on the Greywolf website as its joint-venture partner. And the iwi group Manawhenua Ki Mohua is seeking clarification on what exactly Mr Lancaster is now proposing to Crown Minerals. Last night TV3 ran an item which described the Australian company as "more of a grey ghost than a grey wolf" and outlined its difficulty in locating the company's offices or getting follow-up comment from Mr Lancaster after an initial interview last week.
Very murky
The Mail is also finding it difficult to drill down to the facts. Despite what the website says, Mr Lancaster said last week that Greywolf's Chinese mining partner wasn't Qinghua, the company named, but "many companies like Qinghua".Mr Bell said people concerned by the mining application had suspicions about the company's bona fides. "We've received quite a lot of information, which we're trying to have confirmed."
He said the email addresses on the website all "bounced", which was odd, because they were addresses for use by potential investors
This is the company that wants to descecrate our land and seas so they can make money - but who for? Who are they making money for? Themselves obviously, but who are the chinese backers and who are the kiwi backers?
Meeting in Golden Bay for those opposed to these exploiters
Interest was building in the public meeting, to be held on June 3 in the Golden Bay High School hall.
This exploitation is a dirty business full of dirty companies and greywolf is a prime example. They think we are idiots but they are the fools and they are going down.
Terrible news that they want to explore for oil off Abel Tasman National Park coastline, Golden Bay and Northwest Nelson. This is the most pristine area of this country with beautiful landscapes and undisturbed nature. They cannot be allowed to do this - simply it must be and will be stopped.
Nelson Mail
A Chinese-backed Australian mining company has revealed plans to explore for oil in the seabed off the Abel Tasman National Park coastline, across much of Golden Bay and the northwest corner of the South Island.
Speaking from Sydney, Greywolf chief executive Edward Lancaster said the company hoped to start explorations and eventual mining operations once approval was granted from Crown Minerals – and if its Chinese partners considered it worthwhile.
Mr Lancaster plans to visit the region within the next month to assess the potential for developing the area. Golden Bay was potentially a mineral-rich area and if coal and oil were found, Port Tarakohe could be developed to service those industries, he said.
Company representatives have already spoken to Tasman District Council chief executive officer Paul Wylie about their plans, including the possible development of Port Tarakohe.
"The job prospects for the region would be very good and I know he [Mr Wylie] is anxious to develop the area," he said.
Local tangata whenua are incensed
Golden Bay iwi are alarmed at the plans by Sydney-based Greywolf Goldmining NL. It is proposing drilling the seabed for oil and gas, as well as prospecting for coal in Golden Bay and developing Port Tarakohe.
Manawhenua Ki Mohua, comprising three Golden Bay iwi (Ngati Tama, Te Ati Awa and Ngati Rarua), received the company's petroleum application from the Crown Minerals department last week.
Their representative, John Ward-Holmes, said iwi were "totally opposed to any exploration or drilling of the seabed for oil on cultural and environmental grounds".
"Everyone is alarmed about it. We don't want this and we want to let people know what's in the pipeline."
He said iwi had not been informed about the company's applications to prospect for coal.
We must support Manawhenua Ki Mohua and oppose these exploiters. People power can and will stop them - we will stop them.
