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Download AudioA Far North hapū spokesperson says New Zealanders need to wake up to the threat of global mining interests to their whenua. – who will cause toxic ruin to Tai Tokerau whenua if they get a foot in the door.
Bianca Ranson says Ngāti Kahu ki Whangaroa is concerned at licenses granted to Mineralogy International Limited, owned by controversial Australian mining billionaire Clive Palmer, to prospect for lithium and rare earth elements in areas around the Puketī Forest and the Whakarara Conservation Area.
She says the hapū fears a repeat of the Waihi gold mine – where millions of cubic metres of toxic waste gets left behind.
“And for Whangaroa, it’s known for flooding. We are having increased weather events in terms of climate change. We dodged a bullet with Cyclone Gabrielle. You know we are prone to slips, and having these huge amounts of toxic waste on the whenua puts our wai at risk, it puts our whenua at risk, and it also puts the moana at risk,” Ms Ranson says.
She says Te Tai Tokerau voters will look to local MP and Conservation Minister Willow-Jean Prime to follow through on Government promises to end new mines on conservation land.
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