March 09, 2021
Seabed mining fight taken into parliament
Māori Party co-leader Debbie Ngarewa Packer is staying close to home with her first attempt at legislation.
She has entered a member’s bill in the ballot calling for a permanent ban on seabed mining.
She says deep sea mining is a risky new mining practice that threatens endangered whale and dolphin species, kaimoana, local industries and the kaitiaki relationships of mana whenua.
As a tribal leader she spent the past eight years fighting TransTasman Resources’ bid to mine for ironsands off the coast of south Taranaki.
"If you truly are going to be working for your people the first thing that should come out of your mouth is your people and the first Bill you should put up is in service to your people and that's exactly what this seabed mining (Bill) is. It is a huge effort to stop the unconscionable desecration of a place that feeds us and heals us and where we come from," she says.
Ms Ngarewa Packer says the Bill has broad support among hapū and iwi, environmental groups and the community.
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