June 19, 2014
Iwi experience helped mining opposition
The chief executive of south Taranaki iwi Ngati Ruanui says the iwi’s experience having 46 oil and gas wells in its rohe helped it in its fight against a plan to mine ironsands from the sea off Patea.
Debbie Ngarewa Packer says she hopes the shareholders in Trans Tasman Resources will now cut their losses and not try to appeal the decision of the Environmental Protection Authority.
She says her runanga had to take the lead role for the community because no one else was stepping up, and the win was significant for iwi and communities around the country.
She’s pleased the authority saw through claims of an economic bonanza for the region.
" The only research done on potential economic benefits were coming from Trans Tasman Resources themselves. There was actually nothing independently acquired or provided by anyone else so we have had two years of reconcilling this and two years of considering this whole application so its a positive outcome for everyone, for us all " she says.
Debbie Ngarewa Packer says hosting the hearings on the marae closest to the proposed sea mining site allowed the Environmental Protection Authority to see what the iwi was up against.
FOR THE FULL INTERVIEW WITH DEBBIE NGAREWA PACKER CLICK ON THE LINK
https://secure.zeald.com/uma/play_podcast?podlink=MTkyODQ=
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